North Carolina vs Duke Prediction 3/8/25 College Basketball Picks Today

The Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels meet Saturday in college basketball action from the Dean Smith Assembly Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Duke vs. North Carolina prediction.

Matchup History

The Duke Blue Devils won the first meeting this season back on February 1^st, 2025, at home by a final score of 87-70. With a win for, it would be the third year in a row that the team that won the first meeting won the rematch as well.

Duke Recap

The Duke Blue Devils come into this game looking to add on to their 93-60 win over Wake Forest last time out to sit at 27-3 on the year.

Blue Devils Win 7^th In A Row

Cooper Flagg leads Duke across the board in scoring, rebounding and assists with 19.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 4.2 APG while Kon Kneuppel has 13.6 PPG with 3.9 RPG and 2.5 APG as well this season. Tyrese Proctor has 11.8 PPG with 3.2 RPG to cap off the trio of double-digit scorers for Duke so far this season. Isaiah Evans has 7.9 PPG while Sion James has 8.2 PPG with 4 RPG and Khaman Maluach has 8.2 PPG with 6.5 RPG as well on the year. As a team, Duke is averaging 83.5 PPG on 48.9% shooting from the field, 38.5% from three and 78.3% from the foul line this season.

Why the Duke Blue Devils will win

• Duke has won 25 of its last 26 games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• North Carolina has lost each of its last seven night games against AP-ranked opponents.

North Carolina Recap

The North Carolina Tar Heels come into this game looking to add on to their 91-59 win over Virginia Tech last time out to improve to 20-11 on the year.

Tar Heels Win 6^th In A Row

RJ Davis leads the Tar Heels in scoring with 17.2 PPG along with 3.6 RPG and 3.8 APG while Seth Trimble has 12.1 PPG with 5.3 RPG to lead the Tar Heels in rebounding and Ian Jackson has 13.5 PPG with 3 RPG to round out the group of double-digit scorers for North Carolina so far this season. Elliot Cadeau has 9.7 PPG with 2.8 RPG and 6.2 APG on the year to lead the Tar Heels in assists. Ven-Allen Lubin has 7.7 PPG with 5.1 RPG while Drake Powell has 7.5 PPG with 3.4 RPG and Jalen Washington has 6.1 PPG with 4.4 RPG as well on the year. As a team, North Carolina is averaging 82.1 PPG on 48.3% shooting from the field, 35.4% from three and 73.7% from the foul line this season.

Why the North Carolina Tar Heels will win

• North Carolina has won each of its last 11 games at Dean E. Smith Center when playing with a rest disadvantage.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Duke’s last 10 road games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 157 or fewer points.
• Twelve of North Carolina’s last 14 night games against Conference opponents at Dean E. Smith Center have produced a total of 156 or fewer points.

Duke vs. North Carolina Prediction

I’m on the over in this game. Both of these teams have been scoring points in bunches but it’s been more so lately for North Carolina. Duke’s been so dominant, and North Carolina could clinch a spot in the NCAA tournament without question with a win here so I expect the Tar Heels to have an extra bit of fire on top of this being a rivalry game. I think this is going to end up being a track meet, so give me the over in this one.