“DOOK” Game – A Senior’s Take

Here’s what I’ve been waiting for. The chance to go to a UNC vs. Duke game my senior year as a right of passage for my time at Carolina coming to an end. I was lucky enough to go to a game at the Dean Smith Center my sophomore year where I sat in the last row of the Dean Dome. It was also the game we lost at the buzzer-beater shot. The Dome went silent when that shot went in but was quickly followed by the eruption of the small Duke crowd congratulating their team. Needless to say, I wanted another chance to see a UNC vs. Duke game, hopefully, this time maybe even see a win and get a chance to rush Franklin like we did my freshman year, but this time from the Dean Dome.

Saturday started bright and early in Chapel Hill. The streets were flooded with those in town to watch the game at their favorite Franklin Street spots, scored a ticket to the game, go to college game day, or some mixture. My friends and I began our day heading to the Dean Dome at 8:30 a.m. for randomized wristbands, hoping we would get as close as we could to the front of Phase 2. We then raced into the Dean Smith Center when the doors opened for the best seat available. The electric atmosphere in the Dean Dome showed Chapel Hill was ready to rumble and excitedly wait for what the day held.

As College GameDay was about to end, they called the numbers to start the lines for Phase 1 and 2. We desperately were hoping it was us. The next thing we knew, they called one of us as the first person for Phase 2! We immediately freaked out and College GameDay immediately turned into people crowding outside the Dean Dome to start lining up for the game. It was only about noon at this point, but standing in these lines is all part of the experience, a way to show some school spirit and the best way to get a great seat at the game.

Once the time came to get in line, we headed to the front and stood closely around each other for warmth as our 2-hour wait began. The excitement of the students waiting to enter, the cheering as UNC-affiliated passed by and loud “boos” as Duke-affiliated people passed only further showed the greatest rivalry in college sports and the excitement to get inside to see the action. With many conversations with those in line and some Wordle, the time finally came to enter the Dean Dome.

The clock struck 6 p.m. The game was about to begin. The atmosphere in the stadium was electrifying with many hoping this would bring us a victory…

Within the first few minutes of the game, it had taken a turn none of us were expecting. We were already losing by 10 points with the inability to catch up. We ended up losing 67-87. The change in the atmosphere of the Dean Dome said it all. The silence and some sighs of disbelief had made it a reality. We had not only lost but had gotten crusted by our rival. All the hours waiting outside and preparing for this day and it didn’t end with us rushing Franklin Street but rather people meeting their friends at their favorite spots to mourn the loss.

While this experience was disappointing, being so close to the game in the student section and seeing the packed Dean Dome of screaming fans still made my Senior Duke game a great experience. It was filled with so many great laughs, friends, and all of us doing what we love, supporting Carolina. I took the chance and lived in the moment. Although it didn’t have the ending I had hoped for, the people I shared this experience with made the day one I will remember forever, regardless of the outcome.

The devastating loss shocked Carolina fans everywhere, but we still all came together as one. That is what Carolina is all about and why we will always be the better blue!

Advice of the Day: Don’t focus as much on the outcome but rather the journey/experience itself. Winning isn’t everything and sometimes unexpected outcomes could be exactly what you need to see a new perspective 🙂

Thanks for reading!

P.S. See some of my pics from the Duke game below!