DURHAM, N.C. — Battle lines in the Duke-UNC hoops rivalry are drawn early — some might say before birth.

In recognition of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which this year features a historic Duke-UNC matchup, every baby born in March at Duke University Hospital or Duke Regional Hospital could receive a Duke Blue Devil-themed onesie … unless the parents reject it.

What You Need To Know

  • Duke and UNC are set to face off in a historic Final Four matchup Saturday night in New Orleans

  • Demar Ellis Jr. was born Tuesday at Duke Regional Hospital

  • His father, Demar Ellis Sr., is a diehard Tar Heels fan

  • The hospital offered baby Demar a Duke-themed onesie, until his father took exception

That’s what the dad of Demar Loren Ellis Jr. did on Tuesday. Demar was born at Duke Regional Hospital. The baby’s mother, Carolyn Ellis, said her husband, Demar Ellis Sr. wasn’t having it.

”When the nurse came in she was like, ‘We have this cute little onesie,’" Carolyn Ellis said. "And she turned it around and it had the little Duke logo on the back. I’m like, ‘Oh that’s cute.’ My husband immediately got upset.”

Demar Ellis Sr. said: ”I was just like, absolutely not. The nurse looked over at us and the crazy thing is I actually had on a Tar Heel shirt at the time. I showed her the shirt and she started laughing. She kind of understood where I was coming from after that."

The 33-year-old mom said being at the center of the basketball universe is not something she ever thought of, mainly because their family is from Pittsburgh.

As long as the Tar Heels are winning and my house is happy, I just kind of roll with it.“As long as the Tar Heels are winning and my house is happy, I just kind of roll with it. I don’t really get too invested in it because I don't have an allegiance to either or,” she said. “I want to collect every moment that I can. It’s a souvenir we can keep as a keepsake or something. He goes, ‘I don't care. It’s not coming into our house. We’re not doing it. It’s going in the trash.’”

The mom said she did take the memory of holding her son for the first time home with her from the hospital.

“Everything that was wrong in the world was just suddenly right," she said. "They handed him to me and he just looked at me and smiled. It’s like he knew me. I just cried.”

The first-time parents said they felt like they are winning no matter the final score in New Orleans.

“It’s a feeling you just can’t describe," Demar Ellis said. "To have a child, period, but in March Madness the same week that North Carolina is going to the Final Four. It's something I definitely cherish. I can’t wait to tell him when he gets older.”