Burn It Down!

Photographer

Jiahan Lyu

Category

Editorial Photography - Photojournalism

Company

Duke University

Submission Group

Student

Year

2025

Country / Region:

United States

On Feb 1st, the Duke University Men’s Basketball Team faces off against the University of North Carolina in one of the most anticipated games of the season. Following Duke’s home victory, a time-honored tradition takes place in the heart of the campus: bench burning. As the flames roar into the night, fans, old and new, celebrate together, resembling the youthful passion that has made this rivalry one of the most iconic in college basketball. While the tradition’s origins are less clear, it is believed to have begun as an impromptu celebration following a major victory in the 1980s. Since then, the event has become an annual expression of Duke pride, unity, and the adrenaline that defines Blue Devil basketball.