The Duke Blue Devils take on the UNC Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, NC. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Duke is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -525. The total is set at 157.5 points.
Here are my Duke vs. UNC predictions and college basketball picks for March 8, 2025.
Duke vs UNC Prediction
My Pick: UNC +11.5
My Duke vs UNC best bet is on the Tar Heels spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Duke vs UNC Odds
| Duke Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 157.5 -110o / -110u | -525 |
| UNC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 157.5 -110o / -110u | +390 |
- Duke vs UNC spread: Duke -9.5
- Duke vs UNC over/under: 157.5 points
- Duke vs UNC moneyline: Duke -525, UNC +390
- Duke vs UNC best bet: UNC +11.5
My Duke vs UNC Betting Preview
One of the greatest rivalries in sports resumes when No. 2 Duke (27-3, 18-1) takes on host North Carolina (20-11, 13-6) in an ACC regular-season finale.
It'll be an electric matchup between the top two offenses in the ACC. Duke features National Player of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg while North Carolina is anchored by senior guard RJ Davis.
Duke easily defeated North Carolina 87-70 in the first meeting this season. The Blue Devils can secure an outright ACC regular season championship with a victory.
However, this one will be much tighter, as the Tar Heels are a much better squad at this point than they were earlier in the season.
North Carolina hasn't lost since Feb. 10 and is on a six-game winning streak, putting itself in the mix for one of the final spots in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels would earn a double-bye in the ACC Tournament with an upset of the Blue Devils.
Duke's defense is top notch, ranking fourth in field goal percentage (38.2) and sixth nationally in points per game (61.1) thanks to its collective size. Led by Flagg, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James, the Blue Devils will definitely ratchet up the intensity on defense against their arch rival.
But junior Ven-Allen Lubin and senior Jae’Lyn Withers are utilizing their height and length in impactful ways for North Carolina during this stretch. Lubin is shooting a blistering 72.7% during the winning streak, and Withers has two double-doubles in his last four outings.
Plus, Davis will be amped up for senior day and will have a strong showing in front of the Chapel Hill faithful.
Duke blasted North Carolina with runs of a 16-0 and 11-0 to jump out to a 22-point lead at halftime in the first meeting.
North Carolina will lock in from the start to ensure the game doesn't get too out of reach and will cover the spread, especially with the bubble on its mind.
