GAMEDAY

Saturday's men's basketball game against North Carolina will be the only time Tar Heel fans will be allowed into Cameron Indoor Stadium, and that is only because the University is forced to allot a certain amount of seats for every opposing school's supporters. Or so the Cameron Crazies think.

When the Robertson Scholarship program began in 2001, further integration and cooperating from the two elite academic universities was the goal. The program allows undergraduates to earn joint degrees from Duke and North Carolina every year, with 16 students primarily studying at North Carolina and 16 spending the majority of their time at Duke. Robertson Scholars are also forced to spend the second semester of their sophomore years at the opposite university in order to insure each student has at least some interaction with the rival school. The North Carolina Robertson Scholars at Duke are given the full benefits of being a student at Duke, with each undergraduate owning a DukeCard that can check out library books, buy food and gain access to Wilson gym. This card also allows access to men's basketball games.

In a phenomenon that has started in these early years of the scholarship program, UNC-based Robertson scholars are increasingly turned on by Duke basketball once introduced to the esoteric athletic culture of the Gothic Wonderland.

"I was pretty hard core Tar Heels, Duke was the enemy" sophomore Matt Mullane said about his attitude towards the basketball rivalry before he came to Duke for a semester. "I'm definitely more of a Duke supporter than before. You have to hand it to the Cameron Crazies, their attitude is contagious. I had never been in that kind of fan environment. It's not to say the UNC fans are the wine and cheese crowd they've been reputed to be. UNC can definitely cheer up a storm, too"

Even Robertson scholars who were not completely foreign to Duke's campus before their second year appreciated the men's basketball team more once living in dorms with Blue Devils.

"I actually took a class second semester of my freshman year at Duke, and another one first semester of my sophomore year," said Kavitha Kolatta, who is a junior living in Chapel Hill now. "But I feel a little bit more of a Duke fan than before living there. My dorm was right across from Krzyzewskiville, and I saw all the kids tenting in the cold to get into the games. We don't tent at UNC, so I really respect the Duke fans' fervor."

Some Robertson Scholars have tented themselves.

"How often does a Tar Heel get a chance to tent with the Cameron Crazies?," asked Mullane, who tented for this year's Maryland game but will be out of town for the Duke-North Carolina game Saturday. "Also, with Duke being one of the top teams in the nation this year, it's a pretty exciting environment to be in."

The Robertson Scholars say that there are some Duke fans who absolutely hate North Carolina, but for the most part they have been welcomed by the Duke community. The status of being a UNC student has been a conversation starter more than anything.

But what about the kids at North Carolina, what do they think of UNC students cheering for Duke?

"I think he's a traitor," said an only halfway-joking Louigi Feliciano in reference to Mullane, his suitemait from the fall semester. "He goes to North Carolina, and now he roots for Duke. It's not like I hate Duke, but if you're a Carolina fan, you've got to know the significance of the Duke-Carolina rivalry."

Some Robertson Scholars have countered the trend by encouraging Duke students to become closet North Carolina fans.

"I even invited over a bunch of girlfriends--some Robertson's and some not--when Carolina played Florida Sate, and we rented out common's room," sophomore Paula Kweskin said. "By the end of the game the whole room was cheering for the Tar Heels. We take it all really lightly. We know when we cross the line. But again, it is very respectful."

Though unaffiliated with the Robertson Scholarship program, a number of professors have benefited from the increased integration between the two schools. Professor Michael Munger, who has taught at both schools and currently teaches at Duke, still maintains his allegiance with UNC.

"I have been a UNC fan since the mid-1970s," Munger said. " Coming to Duke, it was like going to the heart of darkness. I have an entirely irrational reaction to Cameron."

Though Munger and the Robertson scholars still claim the Tar Heels are there favorite team, their time at Duke has allowed for them to gain a more liberal view of the competition.

"There is no other basketball rivalry like this one," Munger said. "On game day for Duke-UNC, I always wear two neckties: a Duke tie on top, and a Carolina tie underneath, but tied longer. The reason is so I can use my favorite joke: People ask me, 'What's with the neckwear?' My answer: 'I have ties to both schools.'"