Duke and North Carolina is the best rivalry in the sport. This year, it looks a little different because Duke is one of the best teams in the country, and North Carolina is struggling. Will this game still be close?
How to watch North Carolina vs. Duke
- Date: Saturday, February 1
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Cameron Indoor Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN
- North Carolina record: 13-9
- Duke record: 18-2
North Carolina vs. Duke odds, spread and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- North Carolina +680
- Duke -1100
Spread
- North Carolina +13.5 (-115)
- Duke -13.5 (-105)
Total
- 149.5 (over -105/under -115)
H3: North Carolina injury report
- Jalen Washington, F: Questionable (knee)
H3: Duke injury report
- Maliq Brown, F: Questionable (knee)
H2: Duke and North Carolina series history
- Duke all-time record vs. North Carolina: 117-145
TV Schedule: 5:30 PM CST ESPN
Arena: Cameron Indoor Stadium- Durham NC
It is finally here, the game that we have all been waiting for all year. The best rivalry in the game. The Tobacco Road game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils. They both have a ton of history and have both had legendary players and coaches, and rankings don’t matter in this game. This game is going to be close, and it’s going to be heated.
Duke and North Carolina don’t care about the rankings, they don’t care about the arena, and they don’t care about the talent level on the other side. These games are always close and have come down to the final possession a lot over the last couple of years. This year is going to be no different even if both teams are going in opposite directions.
It was just three seasons ago that the Tar Heels were playing for the National Championship. Since then coach Hubert Davis has struggled to acquire enough talent to get back to that level. North Carolina currently sits firmly on the bubble and the flaws on the roster are evident and have been exposed in a weak ACC. The Tar Heels could turn their season around with a win over their most heated rival and get themselves firmly back into the tournament field.
The Tar Heels have no big man and are still scoring over 80 points per game, even with the glaring flaw. RJ Davis (17.6 Points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists) and Ian Jackson (14.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, .9 assists) are the stars for the Tar Heels and do most of the scoring for coach Davis. Davis has been at North Carolina for all 4 years of his career and he played in the National Championship game and has been a part of huge Duke and North Carolina games. Ian Jackson is one of the top freshman recruits in the country and is playing like it. Davis is having a down year by his standards as he is shooting under 40% from the floor, but nothing can get him going like a game against his rival. Jackson can fill it up from deep and is athletic enough to throw down thunder dunks. Those two have to play well or North Carolina stands no chance against a loaded Duke team.
Let’s go back to North Carolina having no bigs, the Tar Heels don’t provide much resistance on the defense end because of it and don’t rebound very well. Duke has physical and athletic bigs and with no inside presence the Blue Devils should get whatever they want at the rim. Coach Davis is going to have to get creative to keep Duke from scoring at will in this game. Even with the noticeable flaw, teams are still somehow shooting under 50% on the Tar Heels, but all of that can change in a hurry facing a team as talented as Duke.
The Blue Devils are arguably the best team in the country and come into this game ranked number 2 in the country and have one of the best offenses in the country to couple with one of the best defenses. Duke is a long and athletic team and has already beaten Auburn this year and is off to one of their best starts in the ACC over the last decade.
Every year, Duke has big-time freshmen who play for one year and then leave for the NBA. This year, they might have two of the best first-year students in program history. Cooper Flagg (19.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists) will likely be the draft's first pick. Has a shot at winning the National Player of the Year and will likely be an All-AmericanHe has. No one plays for North Carolina that will be able to slow Flagg down. He will be able to get what he wants, especially at the rim, and might have a huge scoring game. The other dynamic freshman is Kon Knueppel (13.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and assists). The guard is the Robin to Flagg’s Batman. Knueppel is a big-time shooter and will do most of his damage from the three-point line. Knueppel can have a huge game any time he steps on the floor.
Duke is a joy to watch play basketball. They are a legitimate National Title contender and this is one of the best defenses the Duke has had in a long time. They have length and an 18 year old big man in Khaman Maluach (1.2 blocks) who is an elite rebounder and is good at clogging the paint. Duke doesn’t turn teams over, but they will make you work for everything you get on offense, and it is likely not going to be a very good shot.
North Carolina somehow always seems to keep these games close. They will always give Duke their best shot. This is the best Duke team in over a decade and this is one of the worst North Carolina teams that has played at Duke in a while. Can the Tar Heels keep this close? Will Duke blow out North Carolina? RJ Davis will need to get out of his funk, and who will guard Cooper Flagg?
Prediction: Duke 90, North Carolina-81