Blue Devil Country

Duke basketball alum hands Tar Heels another defeat

Duke basketball treasure Jeff Capel made Blue Devil fans happy again.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball alum hands Tar Heels another defeat
Duke basketball alum hands Tar Heels another defeat /
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Jeff Capel has seen his fair share of struggles since leaving the Duke basketball staff in 2018 to become the head coach of the Pitt Panthers. But the former four-year Blue Devil guard (1993-97) has excelled against his former rival in the UNC Tar Heels.

On Friday afternoon, Capel's unranked Panthers (10-4, 3-0 ACC) battled back from a six-point halftime deficit at home to pull out a 76-74 win over the No. 25 Tar Heels (9-5, 1-2 ACC), who figure to fall out of the AP Top 25 again despite beginning the season in the top spot.

RELATED: Blue Devils slide again in AP poll

Now, Jeff Capel is 4-2 at Pitt against UNC and 2-0 against second-year Tar Heel head coach Hubert Davis.

The 47-year-old North Carolina native still has a losing record with the Panthers (61-73). However, he is 236-183 overall when including his stints at the helm of the VCU Rams and Oklahoma Sooners before returning to the Duke basketball bench beside now-retired legend Mike Krzyzewski for seven seasons.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, with the loss at Pitt, UNC became "the first preseason No. 1 team to have five losses before the new year over the last 40 seasons."

Only one other preseason No. 1 team in that span has lost five of its first 15 games in a season. Oddly enough, that other team was the 2000-01 Arizona Wildcats, who reached the NCAA title game only to lose to the Duke basketball champs.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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