Does a rivalry game hit different in March Madness? Duke, UNC meeting in NCAA women’s tournament for the first time ever

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — When North Carolina’s Courtney Banghart and Duke’s Kara Lawson took over their respective programs in back-to-back seasons, the questioning was loud. Could they return the ACC powers to prominence? Carry them deep into the NCAA tournament? Pour more fuel on the the UNC-Duke rivalry?

“When you take these jobs, you know that, and you hear it early,” said Banghart, who took over in 2019 after one NCAA tournament appearance in four seasons. “You sort of say, ‘OK, yeah, it is important to put yourself and this program in its rightful place.’ Kara and I have done that to the point where we’re now playing for the first time ever in an NCAA tournament.

“I mean, if that doesn’t get your blood going, you should check it.”

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Lawson might want to, considering she didn’t know it was the first meeting while remaining even keeled as she talked to reporters on Thursday.

“We’re fighting for a spot in the Elite Eight,” Lawson said. “And so whoever the opponent is, is the opponent.”

The Tobacco Road rivalry is on a road trip this week to Legacy Arena in Birmingham, where No. 3 North Carolina and No. 2 Duke will meet for the 111th time with an Elite Eight berth on the line. In the 49-year history of the rivalry, it is the first time the two will meet on the NCAA tournament stage. The Birmingham 2 regional tips off the Sweet 16 on Friday (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

“Having two ACC teams hash it out [and] being able to play for the Elite Eight, there’s no better feeling in the world playing our rival,” said Duke junior guard Ashlon Jackson, the heroine of the second-round victory that clinched a Sweet 16 berth. “We’re super excited to see what type of game it will be. It will be super competitive, I know, for sure.”

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In the age of bloated super conferences, UNC (29-7) and Duke (28-7) were the rare conference foes to play twice as travel partners in the 18-team ACC. The Tar Heels won at home, 53-46, in overtime on Jan. 9…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/article/does-a-rivalry-game-hit-different-in-march-madness-duke-unc-meeting-in-ncaa-womens-tournament-for-the-first-time-ever-200624883.html

Author : Cassandra Negley

Publish date : 2025-03-27 20:06:00

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