North Carolina Tar Heels vs Duke Blue Devils NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/1/25
The Tar Heels and Blue Devils are set to face off at 6:30 ET on ESPN. The Blue Devils will host the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC. This Atlantic Coast conference matchup has an over/under of 148.5 points, and Duke is favored to win by -13 at home vs. North Carolina.
NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS VS DUKE BLUE DEVILS BETTING PICK
The Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels +13
This game will be played at Cameron Indoor Stadium at 6:30 ET on Saturday, February 1st.
WHY BET THE NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Blue Devils.
- Even though we have Duke winning straight-up, we like North Carolina at +13.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 148.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Can the Tar Heels Lock in a Win at Durham?
North Carolina Tar Heels Recent Game/Games
The Tar Heels’ season record dropped to 13-9 after a 73-65 road loss to the Panthers on Tuesday. North Carolina entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs and didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 138 fell short of the 153.5 O/U line.
North Carolina led 44-42 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring only 21 points while allowing 31. Their offensive struggles in the latter half were a key factor in the loss.
North Carolina put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 44.1% from the field and 29.2% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 24 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.8%, and they connected on 54.3% of their two-point shots.
Jaland Lowe led the way with 18 points and 7 assists, shooting 3 of 6 from three-point range. RJ Davis also hit 3 of 6 from deep, finishing with 16 points and 5 assists. Zack Austin added 15 points, making 3 of 5 threes and shooting 71.4% overall.
North Carolina’s defense gave up 73 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 42% from the field. They allowed 15 two-point baskets on 30 attempts, a 50% conversion rate.
From beyond the arc, the Tar Heels’ opponents hit 9 of 26 threes, shooting 34%. North Carolina also sent them to the line 20 times, where they made 16 free throws, an 80% success rate. The Tar Heels gave up 6 offensive rebounds.
Is a Home Win Possible for Duke?
Duke Blue Devils Recent Game/Games
Duke improved to 18-2 on the season with a 74-64 win over NC State on Monday. The Blue Devils were heavy favorites at -21.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 138, just over the O/U line of 134.5.
After trailing 37-33 at halftime, Duke clamped down defensively, allowing only 27 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41 of their own to secure the win.
Duke’s offense struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 4 of 20 three-point attempts for a 20% shooting percentage. Overall, they shot 39% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 42.4%. They did find success at the free-throw line, converting 24 of 28 attempts for 85.7%.
Cooper Flagg led the way with 28 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 47.1% from the field. Kon Knueppel added 19 points, though he shot just 33.3% overall and 30% from three. Dontrez Styles was efficient, hitting 4 of 6 threes and finishing with 18 points, while Trey Parker knocked down 3 of 4 from deep, scoring 15 points in 18 minutes.
Even with Duke sending their opponents to the line 28 times, their defense held strong, allowing just 64 points. The Blue Devils limited their opponents to 39% shooting from the field, including a 20% mark from beyond the arc, where they hit only 4 of 20 attempts.
Duke’s defense struggled a bit inside, giving up 48% shooting on two-point attempts (19/39). They also allowed 15 offensive rebounds, which contributed to their opponents’ 28 free-throw attempts, where they shot 85%.