Duke North Carolina Betting – Blue Devils Battle Tar Heels For ACC Title On Saturday
Few would have projected through the first three months of the college basketball betting season that the No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels would ever be able to close on the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils in the ACC standings but that is exactly what has happened heading in to this Saturday’s conference showdown. The surging Tar Heels will host the defending national champions with the title on the line in a game that will define the season’s of both programs.
- (4) Duke Blue Devils @ North Carolina Tar Heels (13)
- Thursday March 3, 2011 – 9:00 PM ET
- Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana
- Online Sports Betting Odds: Duke – 4.5
The Blue Devils got the best of North Carolina the first time these teams met, taking that game 79-73 in the Tar Heels return to the top-25. There will be a lot more on the line in the finale, as Duke hopes to avoid consecutive road losses to close the year and defend its conference title.
College Basketball Betting Preview: Duke
The Blue Devils have coughed up a trio of key road dates that allowed North Carolina to close the gap in the ACC. Losses at the Florida State Seminoles, St. John’s Red Storm, and most recently the Virginia Tech Hokies brought the reigning national champions back down to earth, but that could be a good thing for Duke. It means the Blue Devils likely won’t finish with the No. 1 seed and the curse that spot is known for in the national title tournament. It also means that the Blue Devils will enter the tournament already playing as though every game is a must-win, which should help them avoid the type of letdown they suffered against the Seminoles. The duo of Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler rank among the best in college basketball, and it will be on their shoulders to lead the way.
College Basketball Betting Preview: North Carolina
Head coach Roy Williams has watched his Tar Heels improve with every game, to the point that he feels his team is finally ready to contend with the best in the nation. North Carolina has won both at home and on the road over the past couple of months, with junior forward Tyler Zeller the biggest reason why. Zeller has led the team in scoring and is second in rebounding on a Tar Heels’ team that has averaged an incredible 42.9 boards per game, the highest mark in the country. Winning those battles on the glass will be a key to finishing the season strong, as a split with the Blue Devils is all they need to clinch their sports betting bonus reward.
College Basketball Betting: Outlook & Pick
The Tar Heels have been very impressive late in the season and there is no counting this team out for the national title tournament, but it will be a very tall task to take down Duke with the ACC title on the line. Still, this game should be close enough that the points will make the difference in deciding the outcome.
College Basketball Betting Pick: North Carolina
