The annual UNC-Duke rivalry had a little extra excitement this year when it was revealed that former president Barack Obama would be attending the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.

Obama, who has made his allegiance towards the Tar Heels well known, sat sitting courtside to watch UNC defeat Duke 88-72 in the first matchup of the rivalry this season. Freshman sensation Zion Williamson left the game in the first minute after blowing out his shoe and suffering a knee injury, something that Obama made note of in the moment.

Wednesday’s game marked the second time that Obama has seen the Tar Heels play in person since becoming president, the first coming when UNC played Michigan State in the 2011 Carrier Classic. That game was played on the USS Carl Vinson with UNC winning 67-55.

The win over Duke means that the Tar Heels are a perfect 2-0 in games attended by Obama.

On the flip side, the Blue Devils have not been so lucky in games that the former president has attended. In fact, Duke has yet to win a game that Obama has been at in person since becoming president.

In addition to Wednesday’s loss, Duke also lost to Georgetown 89-77 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C in 2010. Both Obama and vice president Joe Biden were on hand for that game.

However, both UNC and Duke have been fortunate to visit Obama as national champions during Obama’s time in the White House. The Blue Devils traveled to D.C. after winning championships in 2010 and 2015 while the Tar Heels visited in 2009.

Featured image via @DukeU

Related Stories
‹
UNC Students Think Barack Obama Is On Campus, Chaos Ensues
With UNC facing off against Duke tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the who’s who of celebrities are expected to be in attendance for the best rivalry in college basketball. This includes former president Barack Obama, a longtime supporter of the Tar Heels. A rumor quickly spread on social media on Wednesday afternoon that Obama was […]
UNC, Chapel Hill Leaders Discourage Gathering Ahead of UNC-Duke Game
Ahead of the UNC - Duke basketball game on Saturday, university and Chapel Hill officials are asking the campus community to abstain from Franklin Street celebrations if the Tar Heels see another win.
Barack Obama Picks UNC-Duke Rematch In Title Game, But Who Wins?
Former president Barack Obama is an avid basketball fan and has made his selections for March Madness yet again, choosing UNC and Duke to face off for the fourth time this season in the national title game. Just in the nick of time: My brackets have never been my one shining moment, but here we […]
Barack Obama, Spike Lee Headline Top Celebrities at UNC vs. Duke Basketball Game
As expected, Barack Obama made his way to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night for the latest edition of UNC versus Duke. But the former president was not the only big-name celebrity to travel to Durham to see Zion Williamson and Duke play host to Roy Williams and Carolina. Among those also in attendance were […]
Barack Obama Reportedly Set To Attend UNC-Duke Basketball Game
UNC and Duke face off for the first time this season on Wednesday and former president Barack Obama is reportedly set to be among those in attendance at Cameron Indoor Stadium. However, Roy Williams is adamant that Obama’s presence at the game will not be a distraction for the Tar Heels. “I love him,” Williams […]
Chansky's Notebook: Man's Game A Comin'
Just when you thought we had a great chance to beat Virginia. It was set up so perfectly. The Tar Heels played a lousy first half, were behind by seven late to Miami at home and then made a stirring comeback to win on Coby’s 33 and Luke’s 3 to tie the game and Kenny’s […]
Florida Atlantic's Maxim Logue to Transfer to UNC Men's Basketball
UNC added another piece out of the transfer portal Tuesday, as Inside Carolina reported the Tar Heels earned a commitment from Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue. Logue will have two years of eligibility remaining. BREAKING: North Carolina has added to its post depth by getting a commitment from Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue […]
NC State's Matt Able Commits to UNC Men's Basketball Out of Transfer Portal
The Tar Heels are bringing in a familiar face out of the transfer portal. Matt Able, who spent his freshman season at NC State, announced his commitment to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the portal Tuesday. As a rising sophomore, Able will have three years of eligibility remaining. Inside Carolina first reported […]
Utah Transfer Terrence Brown Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Terrence Brown, who spent the 2025-26 season with Utah, committed to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the transfer portal on Tuesday. Brown, who will have one season of eligibility remaining, first made the announcement through On3’s Joe Tipton before sharing his own commitment post. View this post on Instagram NEWS: Utah transfer […]
Report: Former Providence Head Coach Kim English Will Not Join UNC Men's Basketball
Update: After initially reporting former Providence head coach Kim English would be joining Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Sunday that English has elected not to do so. According to reports by both Inside Carolina and ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the UNC men’s basketball program is hiring former Providence head coach Kim English […]
›