We asked you to share Duke vs. UNC superstitions. Here are your gameday rituals.
We know tensions are running high for Duke and UNC fans ahead of Saturday’s big Final Four showdown, and that true fans always do whatever they can do to help their teams achieve victory.
Wearing unwashed shorts? Sure. A lucky sweatshirt? Absolutely. Skipping bathroom breaks? Ummm.
Every game between these teams is a big one. But this one will be unlike any we’ve seen before, with incredibly high stakes — including a trip to the championship game — on both ends of the court.
Knowing fans will be extra vigilant for this match, we asked them to tell us what superstitions they’ll be following when the teams play Saturday.
Here’s what we learned.
Clothing superstitions
Several fans wrote in with superstitions tied to clothing — mostly involving wearing “lucky” articles of clothing, such as t-shirts, sweatshirts and socks.
▪ One fan seemingly piles on as many UNC-themed pieces of clothing as possible, saying that they purchased a UNC hoodie sweatshirt, and also have a UNC blanket, shorts and shoes — and “...all of those get worn on gameday,” the fan said.
▪ Another fan takes a more minimalist approach, saying they don’t wear any UNC clothing except “new socks my wife gave me on March 4.” We admire the simplicity.
▪ One fan said they’ve been wearing the same Carolina shirt “since the Marquette game” at the beginning of the NCAA tournament this year. The fan said they also “sit in the same chair every game,” which we’re sure sends even more good luck to the Tar Heels.
▪ A Duke fan told us they always wear their Duke class ring or their “1991 or 1992 Back-to-Back sweatshirt.” The fan added, “I only wash them at the end of the season which is how they survived to be 30ish years old!”
▪ On Twitter, another Duke fan said they’ve been wearing the same black Duke jersey and Duke shorts “for every tournament game. Unwashed.”
And while some people are putting on various articles of clothing to give their team extra luck, one UNC fan is making sure at least their shoes stay off during the game.
▪ The fan said their superstition started after UNC lost at the last second to Duke in February 2020. “The rule is now that anyone watching with me must take off their shoes and keep them off until the game clock is drained. To this day, I’m sure we lost that game because some friends were too eager to rush Franklin,” the fan wrote.
One Carolina fan’s ‘lucky pee’
One UNC fan wrote in with a superstition that we have to admit we hadn’t heard before: lucky pee.
We’ll let them explain: “If the Heels are ahead in the game, nobody in the room is allowed to go to the bathroom. We call it ‘the lucky pee.’ One must hold the lucky pee. However, if the Heels are losing or if there is a negative change in momentum, then the pee is no longer lucky and is allowed to go.”
We hope that one works out for anyone who tries it.
Cups, bobbleheads & pompoms
A few fans wrote in about various mementos they think bring their team luck.
▪ One Duke fan said they have a bobblehead Blue Devil that they “touch during every time out stoppage during the game.”
▪ A UNC fan said they plan to make a “little shrine” with their “lucky pompom” and a Dean Smith “prayer flag.”
▪ Another UNC fan said they have a “special UNC cup” that they always drink from on gameday. “My first beverage of the day has to come out of that cup,” the fan said.
Getting some cardio in before the game
One UNC fan makes sure to get some exercise in before the game, saying “on days that Carolina plays, I have to do 40 minutes of cardio exercise at a high level. And when they play Duke I do 45 minutes, in case it goes to overtime.”
The fan said they have a “number of other superstitions, but this one is top of the checklist.”
Turning off the game
Finally, when all of the stress of the game gets to be too much, you can always turn it off — and according to one fan, it might even improve your team’s performance.
One UNC fan said that when they watch the game, they always turn the channel if the Tar Heels are losing “to take the pressure off the team so they can relax and make a comeback.”
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 at 11:01 AM.
