You heard it here, folks—North Carolina has been declared as the “center of the college basketball universe.”
Governor Roy Cooper, a UNC graduate, signed a proclamation giving the state this honor as the Tar Heels and Blue Devils prepare to square off in the Final Four, marking the first time the programs will play each other in the men’s NCAA tournament.
Along with the proclamation, the governor released a video for the announcement, which included clips of UNC legend Michael Jordan and Duke star Christian Laettner’s “the shot.” Cooper is sporting a tie with both of the school’s colors in the video, and he praised the schools’ academic achievements before running through the basketball history for both men’s programs.
The Tobacco Road is one of the most storied rivalries in all of college sports, and for the third time this season, UNC and Duke will put it all on the line. The Final Four has more stakes than normal this year, at least for the teams from down south. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is in his final season, and the Blue Devils will likely be looking to avenge the March 5 loss in Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor, even though the legendary coach said he is not focused on the storied rivalry.
The teams have both been to the Final Four at the same time before, just opposite sides of the bracket, such as when Davis played for the Tar Heels the same year Duke won the national title (1991).
“I really think each of us was a different team,” Krzyzewski said. “We were different when we played them there (Feb. 5), and so were they. Then we played them here (March 5), they had developed into an outstanding team, and we weren’t at that time. We’re going to have two really good teams play against one another (on Saturday). Whereas, the last two games, we were better than them at that point, and they were better than us at the other point. And, now, we’ll see what happens.”
There are probably a few states who will like a word about this proclamation: Indiana, Kentucky, Connecticut, Kansas, Pennsylvania and Washington to name a few for their respective men’s and women’s programs.
Cooper ended his proclamation with what fans of both programs would likely consider universal truths.
“WHEREAS, Duke and UNC are meeting for the first time ever in the NCAA Tournament, with this game coming in the Final Four;
“and WHEREAS, the most passionate fans in the country are more than ready to enjoy this great rivalry and to shout some things that are not normally part of their vocabulary;
“and WHEREAS, the eyes of the world are on these two great institutions, emphasizing the tradition of excellence in The State of North Carolina;
“NOW, THEREFORE, I, Roy Cooper, Governor of the greatest state in the country, do hereby proclaim North Carolina as “THE CENTER OF THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL UNIVERSE” and commend its observance to all North Carolinians.”
