Duke will take on UNC in one of the most hotly anticipated college basketball games of the year on Wednesday night. Duke enters the game with a 23-2 record and is currently ranked No. 1 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll. UNC is no slouch, with a 20-5 record and currently ranked No 8 in the AP Top 25 and No. 9 in the Coaches Poll.
Tickets are selling at prices that rival the Super Bowl (or surpass it) and this is surely going to be a fun one.
Time, TV listings, Streaming Info, Odds
Time: Wednesday, February 20th at 9 p.m. ET
TV Listing: ESPN
Online Streaming: WatchESPN.com
Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium
Betting Line / Total: Duke -9 / 166.5 Points (odds via PointsBet)
Duke key player: Zion Williamson
The most electrifying player in college basketball presents a nightmare matchup for any team, but especially a UNC team that has one of the worst-ranked scoring defenses in the country. Williamson is averaging 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks per game, terrifying numbers that don’t even fully capture just how much he impacts a contest. He is the X-factor in every game he plays in.
UNC key player: Cameron Johnson
One of UNC’s veteran leaders, Johnson is leading the Tar Heels in scoring with 16.3 points per game while shooting an astounding 48% from 3-point range. (His shooting this season has seen a major bump – he shot 34% from deep last season.) The 6’9″ guard also rebounds well, and the Tar Heels will need a big game from him to hang with the high-powered Duke offense.
Prediction: Duke
Duke has too much. If UNC somehow manages to stifle Williamson, the Blue Devils can turn to fellow star youngsters R.J. Barrett or Cam Reddish to pick up the scoring. It will be a high scoring affair (UNC is a fantastic passing team), but Duke just has too much. Final prediction: Duke 81 – UNC 75.
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