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It’s the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels from the Dean Dome on Thursday in a huge College Basketball affair. These two teams have been long standing rivals out of the Atlantic Coast Conference for years. Both teams come into the game ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The North Carolina Tar Heels are at home, and come into the game ranked 21st. The Tar Heels are 17-7 on the season as well.

For the Duke Blue Devils – they are 19-4 on the season. The Blue Devils are 7-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Blue Devils are third in the conference season, while the Tar Heels are tied with Florida State for sixth. Duke is coming off a loss to the Storm of St. John’s on the road. The Duke Blue Devils are -2 over North Carolina on Thursday. 

Blue Devils Looking for Road Win

The Duke Blue Devils have dropped two out of their last three games. The Blue Devils scored just 77 points in their most recent loss, and 63 in their loss to Virginia. The Blue Devils are the top scoring team in all of College Basketball with 89.6 per game. The Blue Devils are the second best rebounding team, and rank 5th in assists.

Duke is led in scoring by freshman Marvin Bagley III. He is scoring 21.4 points per game, and ripping down 11.2 rebounds per game. Gary Trent Jr and Grayson Allen are second and third with a combined 29.5 points per game. Duke has a road trip to Georgia Tech coming up next on their schedule.

Tar Heels Need a Win

The North Carolina Tar Heels, led by head coach Roy Williams need a win, and they need it badly. Sure, the Tar Heels won their last game over Pittsburgh, but that snapped a three game losing streak. The defending national champions are 30th in the nation, with 82.8 points per game. The Tar Heels are the top rebounding team in the country with 43.4 per game.

North Carolina is led in scoring by Luke Maye. Maybe is scoring 18.3 points per game, and ripping down 10.3 rebounds per game. The Tar Heels are also getting 17.3 points and 3.1 assists per game from Joel Berry. Following this game, North Carolina will take on the Wolf Pack of North Carolina State on the road.

Tar Heels Win at Home

What a game. These two teams have played in many instant classic basketball games over the years. Duke and North Carolina combine to make the best rivalry in all of college basketball. The two teams this season are not as great as they have been in the past, but when March Madness arrives – these two teams will be there. When push comes to shove, these two teams are two of the best in the nation. The Tar Heels are at home, which gives them a little bit of an edge. The Blue Devils are a little more talented though. What a game. Look for the Tar Heels to win and put Duke’s losing streak at 2. Bet the Tar Heels +2.  Bet on the North Carolina Tar Heels +2 over the Duke Blue Devils on Thursday.