The Duke Blue Devils (16-4) travel to face off against the North Carolina Tar Heels (17-4) on Saturday, February 3rd. This game will be played at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill and televised on ESPN. Duke is coming off a win in their previous game, while North Carolina is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Georgia Tech. Tip-off is set for 6:30 ET.
Duke Blue Devils vs North Carolina Tar Heels
The Duke Blue Devils Are Coming Off A Win
With a record of 16-4, Duke heads into tonight’s game on a three-game win streak. The Blue Devils are 6-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play compared to their 10-2 non-conference record.
On the road this season, Duke has gone 4-2, and they have won their last three road games. For the year, they have a road average scoring margin of +5.3 points per game.
As the underdog this season, Duke has gone 0-0 vs. the spread. On the road, the Blue Devils are 2-4 ATS this year and 4-5 over their last 10 road games. Overall, they are 9-10 vs. the spread this season.
This season, the over/under record in Duke games is 10-8-1. So far, the average over/under line in their games is 146.4 and the average scoring total is 149.3. Today’s over/under line of 150 is higher than the average OU line in their games this year. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 146 points.
The North Carolina Tar Heels Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
North Carolina has been dominant at home this season, going 11-1 with an average scoring margin of +19.3 points per game. They are coming off a tough 74-73 loss to Georgia Tech, but they have still won five straight games at home.
For the season, the Tar Heels are 17-4, including a 9-1 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. They have been favored in 19 of their 21 games, going 16-3 in those contests.
North Carolina has an overall ATS record of 13-8 this season and they are 7-5 vs. the spread at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Tar Heels have an impressive ATS mark of 8-2.
Today’s over/under line of 150 is lower than the average over/under line in North Carolina’s games this season (153.6). The Tar Heels’ OU record this year is 10-11, and in their last three games, the over/under mark is 0-3. Over their last 10 games, the average scoring total is 143 points.
Duke Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, Duke offense put up 77 points against Virginia Tech. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 55.4% and made 9 threes. Leading the team in scoring is Kyle Filipowski, who is averaging 17.5 heading into today’s matchup. Additionally, Jeremy Roach also maintains a PPG average of 13.9 heading into game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Filipowski (C) | 17.5 | 8.7 | 2.9 |
| Jeremy Roach (G) | 13.9 | 2.3 | 3.0 |
| Jared McCain (G) | 12.3 | 4.2 | 1.6 |
North Carolina Offense Breakdown
In contrast to their season average of 82.6 points per game, the North Carolina had a below average performance. They scored 73 points against Georgia Tech and had a field goal percentage of 36.4%. Leading the team in scoring was RJ Davis with 28 points. Armando Bacot also added 9 points for the Tar Heels.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Davis (G) | 21.5 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Armando Bacot (F) | 13.4 | 9.9 | 1.5 |
| Harrison Ingram (F) | 12.1 | 8.8 | 2.5 |
Duke Team Defense
So far, the Blue Devils’ defense is ranked 73rd in the country at 67.2 points per contest. In their previous game vs. Virginia Tech, the Hokies finished with a field goal percentage of 44% and a total of 67 points vs. Duke.
North Carolina Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the North Carolina defense is giving up an average of 69.2 points per contest. In their previous game vs. Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets finished with a field goal percentage of 41% and a total of 74 points vs. North Carolina.
Blue Devils vs Tar Heels Trends
- Although Duke has a straight up record of 7-3 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 4-5. The team averaged 71 points per game in these games.
- The Tar Heels are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games and 2-1 straight-up.
- Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Blue Devils have a straight up record of 1-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 1-2.
- North Carolina has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
Blue Devils vs Tar Heels Prediction
We’re calling a win for the Tar Heels, with a final score of 75-68, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Tar Heels at -5.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 150, and our model projects the Blue Devils and Tar Heels to reach a combined total of 143 points. Our bet is on taking the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 3, 2024 Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels