North Carolina Tar Heels at Duke Blue Devils Betting Odds

Opening Line: North Carolina +14.5 / Duke +14.5 O/U 146.5

Time: 9 PM EST Saturday March 6, 2010 on ESPN

Tonight in the biggest rivalry in all of college basketball the 4th ranked Duke Blue Devils host the North Carolina Tar Heels. This game is important for both teams, as Duke can win a share of the conference title with a win and North Carolina can keep their slim chances of getting an invite to the Big Dance with a win.

The Tar Heels are 5 games under .500 in the ACC and they have to win this game and may have to win the ACC tournament or the defending champions will not be able to defend their title.

The Tar Heels have won 2 straight, but they have lost 7 of their last 10 games. The Blue Devils are coming off a huge loss to Maryland, which may have cost them the outright ACC title and possibly a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. That loss also snapped Duke's 8-game winning streak.

This season Duke is a perfect 17-0 and North Carolina is far from perfect on the road going 2-7.

In their last games Duke lost to Maryland 79-72 on Wednesday while North Carolina beat Miami 69-62 on Tuesday night.

Duke is perfect at home and Cameron Indoor Stadium is one of the toughest places for opponents to win, but North Carolina has won 4 straight there.

The Tar Heels are led by their frontcourt of forwards Deon Thompson (13.8 ppg) and Ed Davis (12.9 ppg), but these 2 are the only North Carolina players that are averaging in double figures.

The Tar Heels offense has to play well and figure out how to score on a great Duke defense that is only giving up an average of 62.2 ppg.

Unlike North Carolina Duke has a more balanced offense with 2 guards and a forward averaging in double figures led by G Jon Scheyer (18.8 ppg).

The Tar Heels have to play solid perimeter defense against the backcourt of Scheyer and Nolan Smith (17.5 ppg) and not let these 2 bomb away from deep.

For the Tar Heels to have any chance to extend their winning streak at Duke to 5 Thomson (6.2 rpg) and Davis (9.2 rpg) have to not only carry the offensive load, but they have to rebound as well.

Duke's frontcourt of Kyle Singler (17 ppg 7 rpg) and Miles Plumlee (5.7 ppg 5.2 rpg) have to score some points in the paint to open up the perimeter for the guards and they have to keep Davis and Thomson off the boards.

Duke is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 home games, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 13 points or more, and has an Under record of 6-2 in their last 8 home games.

North Carolina is 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games, 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog, and has an Under record of 6-1 in their last 7 road games.

Our Selection : Duke is perfect 17-0 at home and Cameron Indoor Stadium is one of the toughest places for opponents to win, but North Carolina has won 4 straight there. Devils are coming off a huge loss to Maryland, which may have cost them the outright ACC title and possibly a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels will have no trouble getting pumped up against their biggest rival and should be able to keep it close in a game that they need to win to keep their slim chance of getting an invite to the big dance. Take the Tar Heels +14.5.