History: Heels Respond Well After Losing To Duke

For many UNC fans, losing to Duke seems like the end of the world, for a while, anyway. But history suggests that the Tar Heels themselves don’t view things through a similar lens, at least if their past post-Duke performances are any indication.

In the Roy Williams era, which began with the 2003-04 season, the Tar Heels have lost their first meeting with Duke 11 times. But they've responded very well just abut every time.

We will throw out the 2004 and 2010 seasons, however, because one was Williams’ first team and the other was an injury-riddled squad that was no match for the Blue Devils and a lot of other teams. Thus, finding a possible connection to the current UNC team losing to Duke with that one is simply impossible.

So, excluding this season, obviously, the other eight years in which Carolina dropped the first meeting with Duke, it went on a roll. In fact, the Tar Heels’ record in the NCAA Tournament in those seasons is 25-7 with a national title, three Final Fours, and five Elite 8 appearances, in such seasons.

But, more directly following the defeats, the Tar Heels have won 8 or more consecutive games five times, and combined several other extremely impressive stretches. Clearly, the Heels learn from their losses to the Blue Devils and get better.

Here is a look at each of the eight prior seasons under Williams in which UNC lost the first meeting with Duke and how the Tar Heels responded. Again, we are excluding the 2004 and 2010 campaigns for the reasons noted above:

2005

Lost 71-70 at Duke, then won 8 consecutive games before falling to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Overall, the Tar Heels won 14 of 15 after losing to Duke and took home the national championship.

2006

Lost 87-83 at home to Duke, then won 8 consecutive games before losing to Boston College in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

2008

Lost 89-78 at home to Duke, but then won 15 consecutive games before losing to Kansas in the Final Four.

2011

Lost 79-73 at Duke, but then won 9 consecutive games before losing to Duke in the ACC Tournament championship game. Overall, won 12 of 13 after the first loss to Duke, eventually falling to Kentucky in the Elite 8.

2012

Lost 85-84 at home to Duke (Austin Rivers shot), but then won 9 consecutive games before losing to Florida State in the ACC Tournament championship games. Overall, won 12 of 13 after losing the first meeting to Duke, eventually falling to Kansas in the Elite 8.

2013

Lost 73-68 at Duke, then beat Virginia by 12 and won 8 of 9 games before losing to Miami in the ACC Tournament championship game.

2015

Lost 92-90 (OT) at Duke, then routed Georgia Tech by 29 and won 7 of 9 games before losing to Wisconsin in the Sweet 16.

2016

Lost 74-73 at home to Duke, then beat Miami by 26, won by 12 at N.C. State, lost at Virginia and then won 10 consecutive games (12 of 13 overall following the initial loss to Duke) before falling to Villanova in the national championship game on a 35-foot buzzer beater.