The No. 4 Duke Blue Devils welcome in the No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels tonight in ACC college basketball action. The game is scheduled for a 9 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the odds for the game have Duke favored at home in this contest in this rivalry game.
It's Duke. It's North Carolina. It's the best rivalry in college basketball. The Blue Devils have revenge on their minds and tonight's game marks the final home game of the season. Coach K was light-headed in his team's look-ahead loss to Wake Forest earlier this week and by all accounts he's feeling great, but the Dukies welcome in a red hot North Carolina team tonight looking to sweep the season series.
Carolina has won 12 games in a row, but Duke hasn't lost at Cameron Indoor Stadium in two years. The last team they lost to inside those friendly confines? North Carolina. The Blue Devils need a win here, especially after they were caught looking ahead against Wake Forest. Sure, the Demon Deacons came out and won that game but let's be honest, if Duke isn't focused on North Carolina they don't lose to Wake Forest.
So how does Coach K circle the wagons and get his team ready? They need to learn from that game and the first Carolina game. Both were similar in that Duke led at some point in the second half but wasn't able to get the job done. Jabari Parker certainly doesn't want to lose in what could be his final game in a Blue Devil uniform. But then again, he did speak this week about possibly returning to school if he doesn't feel his game is ready for the NBA. That has to make Duke fans happy. Parker is the nation's only freshman averaging at least 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds this season.
Carolina's best player, Marcus Paige, will be looking to play better in tonight's game. He had just seven points in the team's last game, which was a win over Notre Dame. In the Tar Heel's last game against Duke Paige didn't score in the opening half but tossed in all 13 of his points in the second half.
Duke has won 12 of 13 home matchups against ranked teams with the only loss coming against the Tar Heels back in 2012. North Carolina owns a 133-104 all-time series edge, though the Blue Devils have won seven of the last 10 meetings. In a rivalry game like this, it's nearly impossible to lay the kind of points the oddsmakers have Duke favored by tonight. Sure, they have some revenge and are playing at home where they hardly ever lose, but Carolina is red hot right now. Winners of 12 straight and they are dogs by nearly double digits? Seems like a bit much.
We think Carolina hangs around in this one.
Free Pick: Duke 71, North Carolina 67
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