Rivalries in collegiate sports mean everything. In the case of the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels, these teams have met in so many major battles on the hardwood determining conference supremacy and local bragging rights. Most years, these two teams are both potentially headed for top seeds in the NCAA Tournament, this year might not be an exception to that rule.
Duke and Carolina will renew ties for the first time this season in Chapel Hill on February 17 in what could be a Top 10 showdown by the time the game rolls around in another six weeks.
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SEASON IN REVIEW: DUKE
The Blue Devils are only No. 14 in the AP Poll at the publication of this article, and recent Bracketology suggests they're only good enough to sit on the No. 4 line.
Duke though, has gotten off to a good start in conference play. The team trounced both Boston College and Wake Forest, and the fact of the matter is that it will be favored in all of its games between now and January 25. That road trip to Miami should be the only potential tripping point, and it would be a shock if the Dookies took the short drive to Chapel Hill with any less than 20 wins on their resume.
Of course, it's worth noting that this is the middle of a horrid stretch of games for the Blue Devils. They have to host Louisville and Virginia the week prior to this game, and the next Saturday, they have to visit the Cardinals. Losing three of those four games isn't out of the realm of possibility.
The Dookies might have the best backcourt in America. Grayson Allen, Brandon Ingram, Matt Jones and Luke Kennard are all averaging at least a dozen points per game, and they can all step both step back and take the three-point shot and get in on the glass and do the dirty work as well.
SEASON IN REVIEW: NORTH CAROLINA
As of the publication of this article, North Carolina is 14-2 and figures to be on the No. 2 line or so in the NCAA Tournament. Again, there aren't a lot of really tough games on the slate between now and the Duke game for the Heels, and they too should reach at least 20 wins by the time they face their hated rivals.
Kennedy Meeks has been out of the lineup since December 12 for the Tar Heels, but he's expected back at some point in the middle of January and should be 100 percent by the time the Duke game rolls around.
That's going to give UNC a great edge up front. Brice Johnson had a game against Florida State recently in which he scored 39 points and had 23 boards, and he might not even be the best of the Carolina forwards. With Marcus Paige back to run the point, the Heels are as dangerous as it comes going forward, and they have one of the deepest teams in America.
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BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels will start at 9:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at the Dean E. Smith Center. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
