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The No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels (17-4) and the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils (16-4) play on Saturday in a highly-anticipated Tobacco Road rivalry matchup. Duke is looking to keep the momentum over North Carolina. During the 2022-23 season, the Blue Devils won both matchups over the Tar Heels. In March 2023, Duke outlasted UNC 62-57. 

Tipoff from the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. The Tar Heels are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Duke vs. North Carolina odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 152.5. Before making any North Carolina vs. Duke picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 season on a 120-78 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,000 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 20-7 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Duke vs. UNC and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UNC vs. Duke:

  • Duke vs. North Carolina spread: UNC -4.5
  • Duke vs. North Carolina over/under: 152.5 points
  • Duke vs. North Carolina money line: UNC -192, Duke +158
  • DUKE: Duke has hit the 1H money line in 26 of its last 33 games
  • UNC: North Carolina has hit the game total Under in 19 of its last 32 games
  • Duke vs. North Carolina picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Duke can cover

Sophomore Mark Mitchell has ideal size and length in the post. Mitchell (232 pounds) uses his frame when exploding to the rim. The Kansas native likes to get downhill and owns a nice touch around the basket. He averages 12.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and shoots 52% from the field. On Jan. 23 against Louisville, he finished with 20 points and 12 boards.

Sophomore Tyrese Proctor is a strong combo guard who's a natural scorer. Proctor gets into the lane with no problem and owns the court vision to get his teammates involved. The native of Australia logs 11.2 points and a team-high 3.9 assists per game. On Jan. 27 versus Clemson, Proctor logged 18 points and five boards. See which team to pick here.

Why North Carolina can cover

Senior guard RJ Davis has been the No. 1 offensive option for the Tar Heels. Davis is a natural scorer from any spot on the court. The New York native plays at his best when he's using his quickness to blow past defenders. Davis is ninth in the nation in scoring (21.5) with 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. On Jan. 30, he notched 28 points, five boards and four assists.

This was his third straight game with at least 24 points. Senior forward Armando Bacot thrives around the basket due to his size and power. Bacot lives on the glass with such a soft touch around the rim. He's putting up 13.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. In the Jan. 13 win over Syracuse, Bacot finished with 16 points and 11 boards. See which team to pick here.

How to make UNC vs. Duke picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 149 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread is the better value. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Duke vs. UNC, and which side of the spread is the better value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 20-7 roll on its top-ranked college basketball spread picks, and find out.