Duke vs North Carolina men's basketball how to watch, odds, injuries, series history, and prediction
The most storied rivalry in college basketball takes the main stage on the last Saturday night of the 2024-2025 regular season.
The Blue Devils enter Saturday 27-3 on the year, led by freshman sensation and projected #1 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg (19.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.2 APG). Duke is as deep as they are talented, with a supporting cast that includes Kon Knueppel (13.6 PPG), Tyrese Proctor (11.8 PPG), Sion James (8.2 PPG), Khaman Maluach (8.2 PPG), and Isaiah Evans (7.9 PPG).
The Blue Devils have won 23 of their last 24, including an 87-70 home win against North Carolina. In that game, Duke shot 52.8% from the field and 50.0% from deep. Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel combined for 43 of their 87 total points.
On the other hand, it’s been a bumpy ride for North Carolina. The Tar Heels have felt the off-season loss of Armando Bacot, racking up 11 losses in their first 25 games. After a blowout loss to Clemson on February 10th, North Carolina was 14-11 on the year and their NCAA Tournament hopes looked bleak.
Since then, the Tar Heels have ripped off six wins in a row, averaging 90.8 PPG during that stretch. Led by RJ Davis (17.2 PPG), 5-star freshman Ian Jackson (13.5 PPG), Seth Trimble (12.1 PPG), Elliot Cadeau (9.7 PPG), Ven-Allen Lubin (7.7 PPG), and Drake Powell (7.5 PPG), North Carolina has far more talent than their record shows. And now a little bit of momentum.
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North Carolina injury report
North Carolina and Duke series history
Duke vs. North Carolina prediction
The Duke Blue Devils are 27-3. Per KenPom, they’re #1 in the country in Overall Net Rating, 2nd in Offensive Rating, and 4th in Defensive Rating. They arguably have the best player in college basketball. They’ve already beaten North Carolina by 17 points this year. No surprise Duke is a double digit favorite.
On the other hand, if you know college rivalries, you know experience matters. North Carolina’s rotation is far more experienced than Duke’s, led by 5th year Tar Heel RJ Davis. On the other hand, Duke’s main contributors (Flagg, Knueppel, Maluach, Evans) have never played in the Dean Smith Center atmosphere, let alone on the last Saturday night of the year when North Carolina is desperate for a win.
Dating back to 2017, North Carolina is 5-3 against Duke at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are also 20th nationally in KenPom’s Offensive Rating, so it won’t be a surprise when they’re able to keep pace with Duke. North Carolina is playing their best basketball of the year, and they know that a marquee win against Duke Saturday night would likely catapult them into the NCAA Tournament Field of 68.
