Duke and North Carolina basketball schedules have changed. Here are the updates
Basketball games rescheduled due to COVID-19 issues around the ACC mean Duke and UNC will have busier schedules leading up to their first rivalry game next month.
Both Duke and UNC have new dates for games previously postponed while another Tar Heels game is moving to a new date and television network.
The Blue Devils will travel to Notre Dame to play the Irish on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. on ESPN, the ACC announced on Monday.
That game was originally scheduled for Jan. 1 but was postponed because the Blue Devils team and staff experienced a COVID-19 outbreak that left them without enough healthy players available.
So, now, Duke will play at Louisville on Jan. 29 and then head to South Bend, Ind., to play Notre Dame two days later.
UNC’s home game with Virginia Tech will be played at the Smith Center Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. on ACC Network. That game was originally scheduled for Dec. 29 but was postponed due to Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 issues.
In addition, UNC’s game at Louisville will now be played Feb. 1. Originally scheduled for Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. as part of ESPN’s Big Monday package, the Tar Heels and Louisville will now play on ACC Network the following night at 8 p.m.
All of this happens with Duke’s game at North Carolina scheduled for the following Saturday, Feb. 5.
The original schedule gave Duke a full week between its game at Louisville and the trip to Chapel Hill while the Tar Heels were to have two fewer days to prep for the Blue Devils. Now the Tar Heels have just one fewer day to get ready.
Duke’s COVID pause last month also caused a road game at Clemson, scheduled for Dec. 29, to be postponed. Efforts remain underway to reschedule that one as well.
The Blue Devils (12-2, 2-1 ACC), ranked No. 8 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, play at Wake Forest on Wednesday. They return to Cameron Indoor Stadium to play N.C. State on Saturday.
The rescheduled Notre Dame game means Duke now has a busy stretch with four games in 10 days to close out January. The Blue Devils play at home against Syracuse on Jan. 22, followed by a home game with Clemson Jan. 25. Then comes the road trip to play Louisville (Jan. 29) and Notre Dame (Jan. 31).
With five games in 11 days, UNC also has a busy stretch leading up to the Duke game. The Tar Heels play Jan. 22 at Wake Forest then have home games Jan. 24 with Virginia Tech, Jan. 26 with Boston College and Jan. 29 with N.C. State. Then UNC plays at Louisville on Feb. 1.
Also Monday, the ACC announced Boston College will play at Wake Forest on Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. on ACC Network. That game was originally scheduled for Dec. 22.
The Florida State at Boston College game, originally scheduled for Dec. 29, is now Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.
In addition, the Boston College at Virginia game on Feb. 1 has been moved to 6 p.m. from its original 8 p.m. start time. ACC Network will televise that game.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 3:30 PM.