Introduction: The Duke-Carolina
                              Student Basketball Marathon

Welcome to the official website for the world’s longest basketball game. The Duke-Carolina Student Basketball Marathon is a year-long fundraising event jointly organized by students from Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The marathon is made possible by the Student Basketball Marathon student organization in conjunction with other student organizations. This non-political and non-religious event was created to give students and student organizations from both universities an opportunity to collaborate on an issue which is equally important to both communities- Providing opportunities for children with life-threatening illnesses to develop life skills through athletics. The Duke-Carolina rivalry is often considered the best in all of college sports. While rivals on the basketball court, the Duke-Carolina Student Basketball Marathon is just one way Duke and Carolina work together to help build a stronger community. Throughout the year, students from both institutions compete against each other to raise the most money. All proceeds from the marathon benefit Health, Hoops, and Hope (www.hoop-dreams.net), an

Coach Mike Zeillmann and children of Health, Hoops, and Hope. Photo Courtesy of People Magazine.

Throughout the year, students from both institutions compete against each other to raise the most money. All proceeds from the marathon benefit Health, Hoops and Hope. Each year, the marathon culminates with a Duke vs. Carolina co-ed basketball game. The inaugural year the Marathon broke the Guinness World Record, which now stands at 57 hours and 25 minutes! Duke's team won that game 3699-3444. The Marathon was able to raise over $60,000 for Health, Hoops and Hope.

This year, the Marathon will be a 26 hour and 12 minute affair, starting Saturday March 29th to Sunday March 31st. During the basketball marathon weekend, students and faculty, as well as the UNC and Duke communities come together to cheer on their respective team and help raise money for the children of Health, Hoops, and Hope. This year’s Marathon will be the first ever hosted by Duke University. Throughout the basketball marathon weekend, acapella and dance groups as well as several local bands will serenade the crowd and keep the game floor bouncing.

Whether you are an organizer, player, or supporter you are a part of the team. Everyone plays a small part in creating the fun, supportive, and festive atmosphere which is a hallmark of the Student Basketball Marathon weekend.

Mission:

Our mission is to empower, inspire, and make a positive difference in the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses by creating opportunities to build successful life skills through athletics.

About the Charity:

Health, Hoops, and Hope serves children of all ages with life-threatening illnesses including: cancer, asthma, diabetes, arthritis, and various immunological diseases. Through these programs, participants build life skills such as peer interaction, social skill development, problem solving, independence, self-reliance, conflict resolution, and team building. These skills provide a strong sense of self-worth and serve as a foundation for personal success. Based in Durham, North Carolina, participants of Hoop Dreams Academy are typically referred from UNC Hospital and Duke University Medical Center. Hoop Dreams is the only facility in the Triangle area offering high quality, affordable basketball skill instruction in an environment that is medically sound and physically safe for the disease-specific needs of children. For more information, visit www.hoop-dreams.net.

View the Hoop Dreams 2005 CBS Sports Final Four Video - 96kps, 256kps

History:

The Duke-Carolina Student Basketball Marathon was originally proposed by Greg Richmond in the fall of 2005. Soon after, the idea was adopted by the UNC and Duke Newman Centers as a joint project for the 2005-2006 school year. The objective of the marathon is to unite students and student organizations from both universities, and offer them an opportunity to work together to better the community. The first Student Basketball Marathon was sponsored by Spalding, along with the UNC and Duke Catholic Student Newman Centers in conjunction with other student organizations.