North Carolina vs. Duke CBB Odds, Predictions, Picks: Blue Devils a Massive Favorite in ACC Revenge Game

The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils (28-2 SU, 18-12 ATS) host the No. 18 North Carolina Tar Heels (24-6 SU, 17-13 ATS) in the ACC regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday. Tipoff from Cameron Indoor Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

One of Duke’s two losses on the season came at North Carolina, where Seth Trimble‘s last-second 3-pointer sealed the 71-68 upset victory. DraftKings is dealing Duke as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 144.5 as of publication. 88% of the spread handle and 81% of tickets are on North Carolina.

Best Bet North Carolina vs. Duke: Against the Spread

The biggest wildcard here is the unknown status of UNC star Caleb Wilson, who’s been out three weeks recovering from a broken hand. UNC head coach Hubert Davis said Wilson (pictured seated above with a cast on his left hand) would be more active in practice this week, but he did not confirm his availability for Saturday’s game.

UNC has little to lose in terms of seeding for the NCAA Tournament, so the prudent decision could be to extend Wilson’s recovery period. The Tar Heels and Blue Devils have both secured double byes for next week’s ACC Tournament, giving Wilson additional time to heal.

If Wilson is active and a full-go, though, the play is on North Carolina and the points. Duke is dominant defensively at home, but that’s simply too many points to cede in this rivalry. Wilson played all 40 minutes in the first meeting and led the Tar Heels with 23 points.

For the purposes of this piece, we’ll assume that Wilson is playing. For what it’s worth, both KenPom and Bart Torvik believe UNC will cover this number with final scores of 81-65 and 80-65, respectively.

Pick: North Carolina +16.5 (-110)

Best Player Prop for North Carolina vs. Duke

Cameron Boozer OVER 22.5 Points (-114 at FanDuel)

Cameron Boozer has all but clinched the Wooden Award as America’s best college basketball player this season. He averages a double-double with 22.6 ppg and 10 rpg. His scoring mark ranks him seventh among all players nationally.

This number is reachable whether Wilson plays for North Carolina or not. In the loss to UNC, Boozer scored 24 points and hauled down 11 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils in both categories.

FanDuel is also offering -104 odds on Boozer to have more than 33.5 points and rebounds combined. Expect a big effort from the nation’s best player in what will likely be his final appearance at Cameron Indoor Stadium.