North Carolina (22-12) vs Duke (29-3)
- When: Mar 14 2025, 7:00 PM
- Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC, USA
- Where to watch: ESPN
ACC Tournament Semifinals: Duke vs. North Carolina
Duke: Navigating Without Their Star?
Duke heads into this ACC Tournament semifinal as the No. 1 seed and top-ranked team in the nation, but the big question looming over the Blue Devils is the status of ACC Player of the Year Cooper Flagg. The freshman phenom sprained his ankle in Duke’s quarterfinal win over Georgia Tech and didn’t return, leaving his availability for Friday highly doubtful.
Head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t sound optimistic, saying:
“I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go. He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won’t be able to go anyway. But I think it’s a real long shot.”
Even without Flagg, Duke showed why they’re the top team in the country, storming back from a 14-point deficit to take down Georgia Tech 78-70. Isaiah Evans stepped up, reinforcing the depth and mentality of this Duke squad:
“It’s not really about one person or two people. It’s about Duke. Duke is going to handle business all the time.”
With Kon Knueppel dropping a season-high 28 points, the Blue Devils proved they have plenty of offensive firepower even without their star freshman.
Duke has already beaten North Carolina twice this season, including a dominant 82-69 win just last Saturday. They know what it takes to handle their arch-rival, but playing without Flagg could make things more interesting this time around.
North Carolina: Fighting for an NCAA Bid
The fifth-seeded Tar Heels (22-12) are playing for their tournament lives, and a win over Duke would all but lock up an at-large bid while also sending them to the ACC Championship Game.
North Carolina has momentum after back-to-back wins in the ACC Tournament, taking down Wake Forest 68-59 in the quarterfinals.
Senior RJ Davis continues to be the leader of this team, dropping 23 points against the Demon Deacons, and head coach Hubert Davis believes his experience is crucial:
“Having a guy like RJ that’s been there, done that before and being able to draw on his experience and how calm he is under pressure just helps our team so much.”
RJ Davis has been on fire, scoring 20+ points in four of UNC’s last eight games, and he will need another big performance if the Tar Heels hope to keep pace with Duke’s explosive offense.
UNC came close to knocking off Duke last weekend, holding a second-half lead before the Blue Devils pulled away late. They’ll need to be more efficient down the stretch to finally break through and take down their rivals.
Betting Outlook: Can UNC Keep Up?
Even without Flagg, Duke still has the deeper and more talented roster. They’ve already beaten North Carolina twice, and while it’s always tough to beat a rival three times in one season, the Blue Devils’ defense and scoring depth should carry them through.
UNC’s desperation factor is real, and RJ Davis will likely keep them competitive early, but Duke’s size and depth will wear them down over 40 minutes.
Prediction:
Duke wins and covers (-7.5)
Game leans Over (153.0) as both offenses find success
Duke advances to the ACC Championship Game, while UNC sweats out Selection Sunday
- NCAAB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
