The ACC semifinals are here. And fans are in for a treat with the Tobacco Road rivalry making another appearance at the Spectrum Center. Duke will face off against North Carolina for the third time this season after completing a regular-season double for the second time in three years. But now, the stakes are higher, and anything can happen. As Coach Scheyer puts it, “The thing that I’ve learned is the previous games don’t matter. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve won or lost. It doesn’t matter what your record is or what your ranking is.” Analysts are backing this sentiment, adding to the anticipation of what’s to come.

With star forward Cooper Flagg out for the foreseeable future, analysts have been weighing down on the upcoming game. ESPN’s Dick Vitale had his say about the upcoming game which didn’t set well with the fans. He took to X to say, “Personally, my eye test tells me watching @UNC_Basketball win 8 of their last 9 games that they belong to be part of @MarchMadnessMBB however they can apply the KO punch by getting a W vs # 1 @DukeMBB.” Vitale’s comment drew instant backlash, clashing with Duke’s commanding 19-1 ACC record and their regular-season victories over UNC.

Fans weren’t exactly thrilled with the prediction, especially given how dominant Duke has been in the ACC this season. They took to social media to voice their frustrations. Let’s take a look at some of the fan reactions. Vitale’s earlier praise of Duke as ‘the team to beat’ on ESPN’s broadcast only deepened the sense of betrayal, amplifying the uproar.

Fans fume as Dick Vitale makes a shocking prediction against Duke

Fans made their voice known after Dick Vitale dropped his take on X.  One fan took to X to call him insufferable by saying, “Praying for @DickieV but Your grandstanding for NC and Duke is as insufferable as Finebaum’s for the SEC!” Another joined in saying, “Not a good take this time Dickie V”

Fans clearly didn’t take kindly to Vitale’s take, and they had every reason to be frustrated. Dick has often been labeled a “Duke guy” with a soft spot for North Carolina as well, and this prediction seemed to highlight that. While North Carolina has won 8 of their last 9 games, none of those victories came against a Quad 1 team. Yet, that is why it doesn’t  guarantee them a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Fans were quick to remind Vitale of this. One fan took to X, saying, “8 of 9 against who??? There are 100 teams in college basketball that would’ve gone 8-1 against that pathetic schedule. UNC should not only be out but WAY OUT!” Another fan joined in, adding, “UNC didn’t beat anybody good during that stretch.” ESPN’s Joe Lunardi reinforced this on March 13, placing UNC in the ‘Last Four In’ bubble, needing a semifinal win to secure a bid, while Duke’s No. 1 overall seed was cemented, per Bracket Matrix.

Before the ACC tournament even started, it was clear that UNC would likely need to pull off a Cinderella run of their own just to sneak into the big dance. A 22-12 overall record and a 13-7 conference record just isn’t enough, especially in a down year for the ACC.

On top of that, North Carolina has only one win against a Quad 1 team in 12 attempts — not exactly the resume of an NCAA tournament team. Even UNC fans aren’t too confident. One fan responded to the post saying, “Honestly we are terrible,” and honestly, that’s not far from the truth. North Carolina’s poor transfer portal decisions, combined with a lineup overloaded with big men, has forced them to play small ball — a strategy that hasn’t worked well defensively. They’ve allowed 76 points per game while turning the ball over 10 times per contest.

With

Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown sidelined for the foreseeable future, this could be North Carolina’s best shot at finally beating Duke—and what a moment it would be, as Dick Vitale pointed out. A win over Duke in the ACC semifinals would certainly boost UNC’s case on Selection Sunday. But let’s be honest—it’s still a long shot. Even without Flagg and Brown, Duke remains the stronger team, and as things stand, UNC’s chances of pulling off an upset are slim.