That record did not stand for very long.
Just two weeks after Tennessee/Memphis became the most watched college basketball game in ESPN history, North Carolina/Duke shattered that mark on Saturday night.
The battle between the two storied rivals drew 5.6 million viewers on Saturday, the most viewers for a regular season college basketball game in over a decade. Tennessee/Memphis drew 5.2 million viewers last month.
The game drew a 4.0 cable rating, the highest rated college basketball game on ESPN in 15 years. The huge numbers for UNC/Duke and Tennessee/Memphis have helped ESPN to an 11% jump in television ratings for college basketball games this season.
UNC/Duke will stand as the second most watched sporting event of the weekend, behind only the Kobalt Tools 500 on FOX.
Highest rated college basketball games on ESPN this season.
All ratings are coverage area ratings.
4.0: UNC/Duke (3/8/08, 9 PM ESPN)
3.8: Tennessee/Memphis (2/23/08, 9 PM ESPN)
2.1: Duke/UNC (2/6/08, 9 PM ESPN)
