Coming Full Circle
Leading up to the second UNC vs. Duke rivalry game this season, there were minimal doubts that Duke was going to win, especially for the last ever home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium for Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
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The UNC men’s basketball team went into this game with only about a 12% chance of winning, and boy did they quickly prove that the game was in their hands. They said it was improbable, but the men’s basketball team knew if they played for each other and together, they would come out on top, and they did. While any UNC basketball win over Duke is significant and keeps the rivalry alive, this team has changed and struggled early in the season which made many unsure of what the season would hold. This win revitalized the Tar Heel fanbase and left them electrified for what’s to come, especially for tonight’s game against the University of Virginia.
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From a graduating senior’s perspective, this dramatic upset on Coach K’s last Carolina and home game, as well as seniors’ final UNC vs. Duke game, we could not have had a better ending than the victory we experienced on Saturday. The last time we were able to rush Franklin Street was spring of 2019 when Carolina won at Cameron. It was the game that would always be remembered as the one where Zion Williamson, a forward on Duke’s starting team, broke his shoe. This win made us hungry for more, and although another rush on Franklin Street didn’t happen until this past Saturday, it was the perfect way to come full circle. Seniors can end their time at Carolina with their heads held high knowing we are the better blue!
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The crowds of people trying to grab the Daily Tar Heel issue headlined with the win over Duke on Monday morning only shows the excitement and love UNC students have for their school and the teams that keep the reputation of Carolina intact.
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On Saturday, I watched the game at the famous Chapel Hill bar, He’s Not Here, which was packed, spirited, and ready to take on Franklin Street if we got so lucky. With minutes, and then seconds left on the clock, the cheering grew louder as it became more real that Carolina was coming back with not only a win but a 13-point win that ended with a score of 94-81. The electrifying energy of Carolina fans is unmatched and couldn’t have been a better ending to the men’s basketball regular season and excite the fans for the ACC tournament and March Madness (fingers crossed!).
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Hearing the chants of “TAR” and “HEELS,” as we sprinted to Franklin Street followed by the chant from “Hark the Sound” truly resonated with me. It showed me that although I wasn’t a Tar Heel born or bred, I will absolutely be a Tar Heel, through and through, until the day I die. So while it was a bittersweet moment, I cannot wait to see what the men’s basketball team has in store for us for the rest of the season, and for the years to come.
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Advice of the day: Live in the moment, have hope, and always find a reason to celebrate! It may be an event that calls for a massive celebration (like this one), or maybe just because it’s a beautiful day, that’s a call for a celebration. Celebrate life, both the big and small moments, and use it to move forward to make life your own and be in charge of your happiness.
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Thanks for reading! 🙂
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P.S. Check out some great shots I captured on Franklin after the win!
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