Duke vs. UNC: Prediction, pick, odds, line, TV channel, watch online, live stream, preview

The best rivalry in college basketball? Without question, it’s Duke vs. North Carolina. When the Blue Devils and Tar Heels meet, it’s not only one of the best matchups of this season, but it happens to double as the premier rivalry in the sport. — this season and every season.

At 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, Duke and North Carolina face each other for the 249th time in what’s always one of the most anticipated games of every college basketball season.  

Adding to the constant noise surrounding the ACC rivalry is that the Blue Devils earned the No. 1 ranking in Monday’s poll updates. North Carolina’s holding strong inside the top 10, too, at No. 8 in the AP Top 25 Poll and 9 in the Coaches Poll. So we’ve got in store a top-10 matchup, featuring the best rivalry in the game, and some of the top talent at this level, too. How’s that for a humpday special?

As if anyone needs a reason to watch, the two bluebloods clashing in one of the best venues — Cameron Indoor Stadium — should certainly give what little incentive hoops heads likely needed.

Viewing information for No. 8 UNC at No. 1 Duke

When: Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina
TV: ESPN | Live stream: WatchESPN

Series history

North Carolina leads the all-time series 137-111, but Duke is surging over the last decade. Since 2009, the Blue Devils have made up significant ground, going 12-6 overall in the regular season. Since Roy Williams took over at UNC, going all the way back to 2003-2004, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is 17-13 head-to-head against his cross-state foe.

Not only are the records close, but so too are the games. Six of the 32 matchups in the series since Williams took over have been decided by two points or fewer — and Duke is 5-1 in those contests. Even more juicy: The last 11 contests have been decided by 10 points or fewer, highlighted last season by UNC going 2-1 against Duke but recording a -1 scoring margin on the season. If you rewind all the way back to the beginning of the 1949 season, UNC has scored 13,581 points against Duke in the series, and Duke has scored 13,559 points — a crazy thin 22-point difference over 70 (!) years, according to the NCAA. The odds and history in this series suggest Wednesday should provide a closely contested game!

Hall of Fame coaches

Mike Krzyzewski, Naismith Hall of Fame Class of 2001. Roy Williams, Naismith Hall of Fame Class of 2007. Pillars, icons, legends in the sport. Between the two they have a combined 21 Final Four appearances, Krzyzewski’s 12 tying John Wooden all-time, and Williams at third all-time with nine — his with KU (4) and UNC (5). They also have a combined 1,985 wins, 29 conference championships, and eight national championships. It’s not hypberolic at all to consider them among the greatest college coaches in history.

Game prediction, pick

Latest line via SportsLine: Duke -8.5

Duke boasts the superior talent pool, along with homecourt advantage. But no chance I’m picking it to cover the jumbo 11-point spread. The Tar Heels will be competitive until the end here with the way Johnson and White have played of late, and this rivalry is always delivering on entertainment value to the end. Expect a close Duke win. Pick: Duke 84, UNC 80