Duke’s first two NCAA tournaments under Jon Scheyer ended prematurely in winnable games. This Blue Devils roster was built upon the lessons inherent in those “hard truths.”

UNC matchup on Friday will be the first in the NCAA tournament between the rivals. "Really great for the sport," Tar Heels coach Courtney Banghart said.

North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart and fifth-year senior Alyssa Ustby, Duke coach Kara Lawson and Ashlon Jackson address the Tar Heels and Blue Devils’ upcoming Sweet 16 matchup in Birmingham.

It’s the second straight Sweet 16 appearance for Duke after the Blue Devils lost in the second round as a No. 5 seed in Scheyer’s first season in 2023. A year ago, Duke made the Elite Eight as a No. 4 seed before losing to ACC rival NC State.

In a Sunday bout, the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils took it to ninth-seeded Baylor in March Madness, punching their Sweet Sixteen behind another strong performance fro