UNC's win over Duke pulls ESPN's best ratings in years

North Carolina’s buzzer-beating 71-68 win over Duke delivered more than just Tobacco Road bragging rights. The rivalry delivered massive television ratings for ESPN.

Saturday’s thriller averaged 3.5 million viewers on the network and peaked at 4.8 million, according to Nielsen data. It marked the third-most watched men’s college basketball game of the 2025-26 season and ESPN’s most-watched men’s game in four years. The audience represented a 53% increase over last season’s first meeting between the rivals.

The matchup between UNC and Duke also set a new high for ESPN this season, surpassing the previous top game — Kentucky’s win over Arkansas on Jan. 31, which averaged 2.4 million viewers. Earlier that same day, BYU vs. Kansas delivered 2.1 million viewers, capping a strong weekend for the network.

The game itself lived up to the billing. Seth Trimble’s 3-pointer in the final seconds lifted North Carolina to a 19-4 overall record, while Duke fell to 21-2. Caleb Wilson led the Tar Heels with 23 points, while Cameron Boozer had 24 points and 11 rebounds for Duke.

This sets the stage for a season finale between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils, which could be a preview for a trilogy matchup down the line. It once again proved this remains one of the sport’s biggest television draws.

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