North Carolina vs #4 Duke NCAA Basketball Lines Predictions & Analysis Game

North Carolina vs #4 Duke | NCAA Basketball Lines Predictions & Analysis Game

Maybe the toughest regular-season ticket in college basketball history is for Saturday’s game between rivals North Carolina and No. 4 Duke from Cameron Indoor Stadium because it’s the final home game for retiring Duke legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils will be solid favorites on the NCAAB odds.

How to Bet North Carolina at Duke NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

  • When: Saturday, 6 PM ET
  • Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium
  • TV: ESPN
  • Stream: ESPN app
  • Radio: Tunein.com
  • Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA (Duke will be favored)

Last Meeting

On Feb. 5, Duke rolled at North Carolina 87-67. Freshman AJ Griffin scored a season-high 27 points to lead Duke in Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final visit to Chapel Hill. The Blue Devils shot 58 percent overall. The win allowed Duke to send Krzyzewski off with a 17th and final victory in the Smith Center, where he coached against the Tar Heels in its opening game in January 1986. Brady Manek scored 21 points to lead the Tar Heels, who had swept Duke last season.

Why Bet on North Carolina?

The Heels (22-8) can finish as high as second in the ACC standings. They won a fourth in a row Monday, 88-79 in OT against Syracuse despite a season-high 36 points from Cole Swider of Syracuse. He made 14 of 21 shots, including 7 of 11 from 3-point distance, before fouling out late in overtime. It assured North Carolina of a top-four finish in the ACC and a double-bye in the conference tournament.

Carolina led for 15:08 of the 45 minutes. It’s the fewest minutes UNC has led in a win this season (previous 16:10 at Charleston and 16:16 at Clemson). Carolina concluded its home schedule in the Smith Center 15-2 this season. The 15 wins equal the fourth most by UNC in the 37-year history of the Smith Center.

Armando Bacot tied the single-season UNC record with his 23rd double-double and set the record with his 24th game with 10 or more rebounds. He tied Brice Johnson’s record for double-doubles (23 in 2015-16). It was Bacot’s second straight game with 18 rebounds. He broke his own record for most rebounds by a Tar Heel against Syracuse (he had 15 on 3/1/2021). Pete Brennan also had 15 on 3/16/1957. The Tar Heels dominated the offensive glass, getting 16 offensive boards on 41 missed shots, and likewise owned the second chance points category, 18-6.

Brady Manek led UNC in scoring with 22 points. It was his sixth 20-point game as a Tar Heel and 18th of his career. Caleb Love had 21 points. UNC is 11-0 in his career when he scores 20 points.

Bacot is on pace to lead the ACC in field goal percentage and rebounding for the ninth time in 69 seasons and in field goal percentage, rebounding and double-doubles for just the sixth time ever (with Duke’s Marvin Bagley in 2018, Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan in 1997, Clemson’s Dale Davis in 1990, Clemson’s Horace Grant in 1987 and Virginia’s Ralph Sampson in 1983). No Tar Heel has ever led the ACC in rebounding and field goal percentage in the same season.

Why Bet on Duke?

Many former Duke stars are expected to be in attendance on Saturday night in Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Duke. ESPN College Game Day will be on hand as well. Krzyzewski has more wins (1,196) than any coach in college basketball history.

“Having Grant Hill, having JJ Redick be there, I don’t know if Kyrie Irving’s gonna be there, Zion Williamson all of us come back, that brotherhood is going to be a very emotional moment,” said former Duke All-American and national player of the year Jay Williams.

Duke currently has a record of 26-4 overall and 16-3 in the ACC. The Blue Devils have clinched the ACC regular-season title for the first time since 2010. The Blue Devils are also looking to land a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year.

The Blue Devils have clinched the ACC regular-season title and won their seventh straight game Tuesday, 86-56 at Pittsburgh. Freshman Trevor Keels scored a season-high 27 points and classmate Paolo Banchero added 21 in the final road game of Krzyzewski’s career. It marked Keels’ third 20-point game this season and 19th double-digit game. Duke is now 18-1 when Keels scores in double-figures.

Coach K ended his historic Duke tenure with 201 ACC road wins – a conference record. Duke also claimed its eighth consecutive road win, extending the longest active streak by a power conference team. It marked the program’s 18th all-time No. 1-seed in the ACC Tournament (12th under Coach K) and first since 2009-10. It marks the program’s 20th ACC regular season title (13th under Coach K) and first since 2009-10.

Banchero was named one of five finalists for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Among all true freshmen nationally, Banchero currently ranks second in scoring (16.9), third in rebounding (7.8) and fourth in field goal percentage (.465). He has logged eight double-doubles and 11 games of 20+ points – each ranking second among power conference true freshmen. The six-time ACC Freshman of the Week has the fifth-highest scoring average (17.1) and is second in rebounding (8.2) in conference-only games.

Expert Prediction

  • Duke 78, North Carolina 70
 
 

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