“Floor Is Shaking Underneath Your Feet”: Playing Against Coach K’s Duke, NBA Star Relives College Basketball’s Hyper-Intensive Rivalry

The tight rivalry between North Carolina and Duke University is one of the most heated in American sports. Hells and Blue Devils are continually competing in the power nexus. Despite their proximity, the two teams are unquestionably renowned as NCAA powerhouses, having accomplished so much in college basketball history. Duke is a private institution, whereas Carolina is a public school; the two’s widely different financial systems and cultures add to the intensity of the rivalry.

One of the key reasons for this rivalry is their different basketball programs. Almost every year, at least one of the institutions is a national title contender. The Brooklyn Nets star Cam Johnson shed some light on the classic Duke versus UNC rivalry dating back to his collegiate days.

Cameron Johnson reminisces about playing against Coach K’s team

Cameron Johnson, who made his FIBA World Cup debut with Team USA this summer, is a North Carolina University alumnus. He joined the Tar Heels in 2017 and has been with them for two years. He made significant contributions to UNC. Being UNC’s player elevates the traditional rivalry with Coach K’s Duke. Cameron took the time to explain his side of the story while taking part in the league’s greatest dispute. and remember how loud it can become when Coach K’s Blue Devil is on the floor, “Floor Is Shaking Underneath Your Feet”:

Cam Johnson started the narration in an interview with the 2N Wind YouTube channel. The schools are just about a fifteen-minute drive apart, yet their rivalry is one of the most intense in athletics, according to Cam. He also mentioned that it was quite an experience as he began recounting two matches he played against Duke, one in his junior year in which they lost and another in his senior year in which they won.

He described Duke as a cramped environment with a little gym and more people than should be there. He also describes the atmosphere on match day, when students begin to queue at 6 a.m. “It’s a fantastic experience, bro.” As in, “You play at Duke’s little gym, which is intimate. There are far too many people in there. Loud. When I was at Carolina, we lost once at Duke.”

He then returned to his senior year for a game when then-President Obama was present on the courtside when Duke was number one and UNC was number eight. North Carolina won the match with four minutes left, describing the moment as “They’re number one in the country and we’re number eight; it’s a mid-February game, Obama’s courtside, and we beat him easy; we light work; four minutes left in the game, the crowd was quiet; people are starting to leave.”

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Duke vs. UNC: The historic feud

The first meeting between Duke and North Carolina took place on January 24, 1920, and North Carolina prevailed 36-25. A legendary rivalry that has lasted for more than a century was born in this contest. Because the two universities have routinely fielded some of the best men’s basketball teams in the country for most of the past 40 years, the rivalry between Carolina and Duke is even more heated.

Carolina is third on the list of all-time winning programs in Division history, while Duke is fourth. Both institutions are also two of the most successful programs in NCAA men’s basketball history. Whereas Carolina has competed in a record 21 Final Fours and won six NCAA titles, together they hold 28% of national championships in their homeroom.

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