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University of North Carolina Athletics
More UNC-Duke Stories
February 5, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 5, 2004
Staying Up Late
My favorite North Carolina versus Duke story happened during the 2000-2001 season. I was a sophomore in high school, and the night of the game we had a game against our high school rival. As you can imagine I was really excited that we were going to be playing our rivals, but at the same time I was really upset because I didn't get to watch the UNC-Duke game live on TV. So I decided that I would tape the game and watch it whenever I got home. It turned out that the boys and girls' games went into overtime so we didn't get home until nearly two a.m. As soon as I got home everyone wanted to tell me what had happened, and I did not want to know. One of my friends' dads told me that the only thing that I needed to know was that it came down to the last few seconds. So then I was all hyped up to watch the game. So I went home and watched the game, every last second of it. I was so excited when Brendan Haywood hit those two free throws, knowing that he had missed two free throws just like that three years prior. It was a great victory because it was at Cameron. Winning is great at home, but it is like a dagger when it is on the opponent's court. The day was a total success, and I was so excited that we won that I couldn't sleep. So when it came time to go to school at seven the next morning, I just loaded up on the caffiene and wore my baby blue proudly!
Amanda
Colorado
There are so many classic match-ups to recall...it's hard to choose between the Stackhouse dunk in the 2OT win in 1995 or the Double blow-out of 1998! I guess I'd have to say, it's the double blow-out...on Feb. 5th, 1998. UNC had been on fire, but Duke came back to make it a close game. UNC buckled down and then we blew them out again! What a pleasure it was to send Duke home as losers - TWICE in the same night!!...97-73!! To commemorate the event, I even have Vince Carter's autograph on the game program for that night!! Let's do it again on Feb 5th...2004! Go Heels!
Beth ('85) & Vann Bowen ('83)
On Duty In Saudi Arabia
I was on temporary duty in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the game was broadcast on the Armed Forces Network and started about 04:00. I was splitting my time between the game and my normal duties. About the time my shift ended at 06:00, I was packing up my things and headed for the bus stop to go back to my villa. Someone came down to hall and said Capel just hit a half court shot to send the game into double OT. I quickly, but gladly missed the bus and gave up about an hour of sleep to watch the rest of the game. When you are in harm's way and away from your family not much takes you away from that, but that win, in Cameron made it so easy to fall asleep that morning. Although it ended up that I got home about four hours later it was one of the greatest wins ever for me.
TSgt Jason H. Meads
McGuire AFB, NJ
(by way of Elizabeth City, NC)
Struggling To Watch In Wisconsin
This story happened a few years ago and is a little long, so I will keep it as brief as possible. I live in WI and have for my entire life. I have been a diehard Carolina fan for about 12 years now and have never missed a Carolina - Duke game in that time period. Anyways, when I was a freshman at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, I was psyched because the local cable company had finally began to carry ESPN2, which would allow me to watch the game. I went home the weekend before the game and returned the following Monday morning, which happened to be February 1st. As of the first of the month the cable company had stopped carrying ESPN2, because it had been a promotion during the month of January. I was a little disappointed about this. I had planned on driving back home to watch the game, but a big snow storm prevented me from doing so. So, the night of the game I knew that Carthage had a satellite in one of the lounges. But they had forgotten to pay the bill that month so the game wouldn't be on there. I called a restaurant and some friends and I went out to the restaurant to watch the game with the understanding that if we bought some drinks we would be able to watch the game. Come to find out though that about five minutes before kickoff we got kicked out for loitering. I was REALLY frustrated about this time and had only one option left. We went to the local bowling alley that had a bar and ESPN2 to watch the game. However, since I was not 21 at the time I had to stand outside the bar in the bowling alley and peer through the glass that separated the bar from the rest of the bowling alley. Here I was with my hair and eyebrows dyed Carolina blue wearing Carolina pants, shirt, socks and sandals nervously pacing and watching the game. Carolina ended up winning the game and I was very PUMPED!!! Nearly everybody at school ended up hearing about my antics during the game and from that moment on, everybody knew that I was a diehard Tar Heel fan and still am. That is my Carolina - Duke story!!! GO HEELS!!!
Joel Ehelers
My best friend and I were on a Boy Scout camping trip on the Bonner Scout Reservation in Washington, NC, on the day of Phil Ford's last home game as a Tar Heel. I was the Tar Heel and my friend was a Duke fan. As I remember it, Phil Ford must have played the absolute best game of any player Tar Heel history. We listened to the game on the radio as Woody Durham called it. Woody was a excited as anyone there and I just rolled with laughter as Phil Ford weaved in and out and nailed shot after shot. I'm not going to look up the stats but it sure seemed like Woody must have said a hundred times, "Ford on the fast break, pulls up at the top of the key, TWO!" Every time I hear people say something about Phil Ford, I think about that game and the way he played the game in general. Felton has the heart of Phil.
Robert Knott
Asheville, NC
