Written by :
Published on :
Carrie Stroup here with your North Carolina vs. Duke betting odds for this huge March 3 game. Get the most updated College Basketball lines at Sportsbook.com here. Claim up to $250 in FREE CASH when you open an online betting account today with as little as $20 (bonus money based on initial deposit).
Sportsbook.com Line : Pick ‘em
With the ACC regular season crown on the line, No. 6 North Carolina will travel down Tobacco Road to face No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium before both teams enter postseason play.
Although Austin Rivers stunned the Dean Dome with a last-second three-pointer to give the Blue Devils an 85-84 win when the two teams last met, North Carolina has bounced back well winning six straight games (5-1 ATS) by an average of 15.3 PPG. Overall, Duke has been a terrible bet at Cameron (5-10 ATS), going 1-7 ATS in its past eight home games. Meanwhile, the Heels are 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS in their past six games in Durham. Coming off a 20-point performance against slow-paced Virginia and then a 30-point domination against Maryland, UNC seven-footer Tyler Zeller is primed for a big performance against the Blue Devils in this one. Zeller dropped 23 points on Duke when they previously met, 19 of which came in the first half before dealing with foul trouble. He also failed to put better pressure on Rivers when he hit the buzzer beater.
Scroll Down For More....
North Carolina is second in the nation in scoring (82.1 PPG) and brings height at every position, which could explain why the team leads the nation in rebounding (45.8 RPG). Zeller (16.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG) is a leading candidate for ACC Player of the Year while fellow forward John Henson (14.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 3.1 BPG) may be the best interior defender in the conference. Henson had 12 points and 17 rebounds against Duke earlier this year. Six-foot-8 forward Harrison Barnes (17.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG) is the team’s leading scorer, but he is coming off two weak performances (8.5 PPG, 6-of-23 FG). Barnes had a team-high 25 points in the Feb. 8 loss to the Blue Devils. The backcourt is big too, with 6-foot-7 Reggie Bullock (8.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 39% 3-pt FG) a threat from deep and 6-foot-4 PG Kendall Marshall (6.8 PPG, 9.6 APG) who uses his length to be the conference’s best passer.
Duke is paced by Rivers (15.3 PPG) who has come into his own late this season. Although he scored only 10 in Tuesday’s 79-71 win (ATS loss) at Wake Forest, he had two 20-point performances prior to that and has scored double-digit points in 13 straight games, including his 29-point showing at UNC. Seth Curry (13.6 PPG) has also been strong lately (17.3 PPG in past six games) forming a dangerous duo in the backcourt. Junior Ryan Kelly (12.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG) carried the Blue Devils over the Demon Deacons with a season-high 23 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep, plus eight boards. Kelly, and the rest of Duke’s interior presence – Mason Plumlee (10.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG) and Miles Plumlee (6.5 PPG, 7.0 PPG) – will need to battle the Heels strong interior players to give Duke a chance.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
