Duke at North Carolina: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

College basketball’s most intense rivalry will be renewed Saturday and this one is a little more personal than the rest as Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last trip to the Dean Dome. North Carolina (16-6) hosts No. 9 Duke (18-3) Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. Here’s how to watch, odds, ESPN BPI predictions and KenPom game predictions as well for both teams ahead of Saturday’s blue-blooded clash.

How to watch Duke at North Carolina

Time: 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT

Channel: ESPN

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Odds

Duke has maintained a two and a half-three point favorite since 7:40 p.m. ET Friday night, according to VI’s consensus line movements. These odds are as of 8:30 a.m. ET Saturday morning.

Money line: Duke -155, North Carolina +135.

Spread: Duke -3, -110. North Carolina +3, -110.

Total: Over/Under 151, -110.

Check out the rest of Vegas’ odds ahead of Monday’s college game day slate.

ESPN BPI predictions 

Matchup quality: 93.9%

Win probability: Duke, 59.2%

Predicted point differential: 2.5

‘The College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of performance going forward. BPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Strength of Record (SOR) is a measure of team accomplishment based on how difficult a team’s W-L record is to achieve. 

Game predictions account for opponent strength, pace of play, site, travel distance, day’s rest and altitude, and are used to simulate the season 10,000 times to produce season projections. Numbers update daily,’ per ESPN.

For the rest of ESPN’s BPI predictions, click here.

KenPom predictions

Score prediction: Duke 76, North Carolina 73. 

Win probability: Duke, 61%. 

Check out the rest of KenPom’s predictions for Duke at North Carolina here.

Duke at North Carolina Preview

This season will mark the 187 and 188th meetings between these two all-time great franchises. North Carolina leads the series 100-86. Duke is favored in ESPN’s matchup predictor 60-40 and judging by how both team’s seasons are going, it’s likely Duke will be favored against for the March matchup as well.

They are 50-50 in their last 100 meetings — this one is for bragging rights.

The key matchup to keep an eye on in both blue-blood battles is freshman sensation Paolo Banchero vs. UNC’s Armando Bacot. Both players lead their respective teams in scoring and rebounds. Bacot in particular is averaging a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards per game — Banchero is in the conversation to be to No. 1 overall selection in the 2022 NBA Draft. 

Whether you’re in the stands or watching from home, fans should bank on one of these two games being a game of the year contender, as it usually is. But remember, savor the popcorn. You only get this matchup twice a season, barring postseason pairings, of course.