Prediction, Pick & Odds for Duke vs North Carolina Game on March 8th

• The #2 Duke Blue Devils visit the North Carolina Tar Heels in a rivalry showdown
• Duke is a 9.5-point road favorite over UNC
• Read on for our Duke vs UNC picks, predictions, and latest odds for March 8th

One of the best rivalries in sports resumes on Saturday, March 8th as the #2 ranked Duke Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 ACC) visit the North Carolina Tar Heels (20-11, 13-6 ACC) at the Dean E. Smith Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 pm ET on ESPN in this highly anticipated ACC regular-season finale.

Duke has already clinched at least a share of the ACC regular season title, while UNC is squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Tar Heels likely need a win to feel good about their at-large chances heading into the ACC Tournament.

UNC is currently among the “First Four Out” in most March Madness brackets, which is factored into our Saturday college basketball prediction.

Duke vs UNC Prediction

Duke won the first meeting against UNC this season in dominant fashion, 87-70, at home on February 1st. The Blue Devils led by as many as 32 points in the second half before emptying the bench. Since that game, Duke has won seven straight by an average of 30.4 points.

The Blue Devils are led by National Player of the Year frontrunner Cooper Flagg, who paces the team in points (19.6), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.6) and blocks (1.2) per game.

UNC has won six in a row to build some momentum, but the Tar Heels were just 3-10 in Quad 1 games before this winning streak, per CBS. Their best wins came against bubble teams like Michigan and Ohio State. The Heels lost to Clemson by 20 points the last time they played a top-50 KenPom opponent.

The Tar Heels are shooting a blistering 47.8% from three over their last six games, but that’s come against defenses that rank outside the top 100 in efficiency. Duke’s fourth-ranked unit should provide much stiffer resistance. With elite length and athleticism on the perimeter, the Blue Devils are holding opponents to just 35.3% from deep this season.

Duke’s twin tower frontcourt of Flagg and 6’11 center Khlama Maluach is a tough matchup for UNC’s undersized bigs. The Blue Devils rank in the top 20 nationally in both offensive and defensive rebound rate. They outrebounded the Heels 39-26 in the first meeting and could dominate the glass once again. UNC big man Jae’lyn Withers will have his hands full trying to keep those two off the boards.

KenPom projects Duke as 11-point favorites in this matchup, with a 82-71 predicted score. The Blue Devils’ interior advantage, rebounding edge and ability to take away the three-point line make this a difficult spot for the Tar Heels, even at home. I expect Duke’s overall talent to win out rather comfortably.

Duke vs UNC Pick

• Duke -9.5 (-110)

I’m laying the 9.5 points with Duke in this matchup. The Blue Devils are operating on a different level than UNC right now, and the styles make this a tough matchup for the Heels.

Duke vs UNC KenPom Rankings

In two road games against top-50 KenPom teams, Duke won at Virginia and Gonzaga by an average of 13.5 points, so the Blue Devils are fully capable of a blowout here, even in a hostile environment. I think Duke’s size, versatility and talent will ultimately be too much for the Heels to handle over 40 minutes.

Duke vs UNC Odds

Odds as of March 8 at Bet365. Get up to $150 in bonus bets when you sign up using a Bet365 bonus code.

The college basketball odds clearly favor Duke in this matchup. The Blue Devils are 9.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 157.5 points. Duke’s -500 moneyline price gives them an implied 83.3% win probability, highlighting the mismatch on paper.

The highly anticipated matchup between Duke and North Carolina on March 8th is sure to be a thrilling game for college basketball fans. Both teams have had successful seasons so far, with Duke currently ranked #4 in the nation and North Carolina not far behind at #10.

In terms of predictions for this game, it’s always tough to predict the outcome of a rivalry game like this one. Both teams have talented players and strong coaching staffs, so it could really go either way. Duke will be looking to avenge their earlier loss to North Carolina this season, while North Carolina will be looking to secure a season sweep over their rivals.

When it comes to picking a winner, it may come down to which team can execute their game plan better on the day. Duke has a strong offense led by star freshman Jalen Johnson, while North Carolina has a balanced attack with multiple players capable of putting up big numbers. It could be a close game that comes down to the wire.

As for the odds, sportsbooks currently have Duke as the slight favorite in this matchup. However, with the unpredictability of rivalry games and the talent on both sides, it wouldn’t be surprising to see North Carolina pull off the upset.

Overall, fans can expect an intense and competitive game when Duke and North Carolina face off on March 8th. It’s sure to be a game that will have fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer sounds.