Rangers sing the Anthem at UNC

unc_dukeThere are few sporting contests that rival the intensity of the annual meetings between the University of North Carolina and Duke University basketball teams, located just a scant few miles from one another in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. UNC is in Chapel Hill and Duke in Durham, and the locals and the students unite in their passion when the schools meet on the court.

The event typically occurs twice during the college basketball season, one game held on each home court, and tickets are prized possessions. Students are known to camp outside the arenas for days to claim passes, and the atmosphere inside on game nights is electric. Given the proud traditions of excellence in both programs, the games typically have a bearing on both the ACC conference tournament, and the national standings.

Last night the two teams met in Chapel Hill, and just prior to tip off, The Steep Canyon Rangers, who boast of three UNC graduates, performed the National Anthem before the crazed attendees.

In this video you can see that they actually performed it in a bluegrass style, to the delight of the assembled students and fans.

 

Sadly for the UNC faithful, Duke came back from 8 points behind and held on for a 74-73 victory. I’m sure they cheated somehow.

Congrats to the Rangers all the same.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.