Duke vs. North Carolina joins list of compelling Final Four rivalry matchups

PHILADELPHIA — With North Carolina’s 20-point win over Saint Peter’s in the East Regional final, the stage is now set for perhaps the ultimate meeting of rivals. The Tar Heels will face Duke in a national semifinal.

Meetings between rivals at the Final Four are rare, but they’ve been known to happen. Such collisions even occur once in a great while in the national title game.

Here’s an overview of games where conference rivals faced off against each other in the Final Four.

2016 semifinal: No. 1 North Carolina 83, No. 10 Syracuse 66

The Orange and the Tar Heels weren’t exactly ancient rivals when they met in the 2016 Final Four. Syracuse had just joined the ACC in 2013-14, after all. Even so, expectations were high when Jim Boeheim’s group took on top-seeded UNC. Michael Gbinije and Malachi Richardson had just upset Midwest Region No. 1 seed Virginia, and it didn’t seem far-fetched to think this team could do the same to another ACC power. Instead, Joel Berry dished 10 assists and the Tar Heels won easily before falling to Villanova in the title game.

2001 semifinal: No. 1 Duke 95, No. 3 Maryland 84

On paper the Terrapins entered the 2001 NCAA tournament as a 21-10 No. 3 seed. In reality, Gary Williams’ team had played 29-4 Duke tough three times, winning once while the two losses came by a combined total of four points. A close contest was anticipated for the fourth meeting between these rivals, but the Blue Devils — who expediently erased a 22-point first-half deficit — won the fifth of an eventual six consecutive tournament games by double-digits. Shane Battier rang up 25 points against the Terps, and Duke went on to win the title over Arizona. Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter and Maryland would capture their own national championship the following year.

2000 semifinal: No. 1…