What needs to happen for Duke to play UNC in March Madness

How can Duke and UNC basketball meet in March Madness in 2022? The two rivals have a path to a tasty showdown if they get through the next hurdles.

The NCAA Tournament has already given use thrilling upsets and incredible Cinderella stories.

Could March Madness do one better and give fans a rivalry matchup between the Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels?

They’re just a few steps away from going head-to-head.

What needs to happen for Duke to play UNC in March Madness

Since Duke already made it through Texas Tech on Thursday night, they’re one game ahead of the Tar Heels. All they have to do is beat No. 4 Arkansas on Saturday in the Elite Eight.

Sure, that’s not a given, but it’s one of the easier steps in this scenario.

UNC has the tougher job.

First, the Tar Heels have to upset No. 4 UCLA in Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup. The Bruins won’t go down easy and that’s just step one.

After that UNC will have to battle the winner of the Friday game between No. 3 Purdue and No. 15 Saint Peter’s. It’ll either require another big upset or ending everyone’s favorite underdog tale of 2022.

A Final Four berth for both Duke and UNC will result in a Final Four matchup between two of the biggest rivals in the game.

If the regular-season matchup in Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium was drama-filled, can you imagine what an NCAA Tournament meeting with a place in the title game on the line would look like?

Incredibly, the two have never met in March Madness. For what it’s worth, UNC won their lone 1971 NIT matchup.

It’s about time they added a postseason element to the rivalry.

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