Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke University campus and home to the No. 5 ranked Duke Blue Devils (21-2, 14-1 ACC) men's college basketball team, will be under assault Wednesday night (9 PM Eastern, ESPN) by rivals from up Tobacco Road, the 20th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels (17-5, 7-1). North Carolina seems to be jelling just in time for a show-down, having won five straight and only trailing the Blue Devils by half a game in the ACC Standings. However, odds makers at most offshore sports shops see Duke as a double-digit point spreads favorite (-10) with a 156 total.
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Beating Duke on it's home court will be a tall order for Carolina, as the Blue Devils are riding a 32 game home court winning streak, the longest active streak in NCAA college basketball. As part of the streak, the Blue Devils have won 16 consecutive ACC games at home. The last time Duke hosted Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium, they came away with a lopsided 82-50 victory. Duke won both matchups with Carolina last year.
While Duke might look menacing due to its success at home, early betting is on Carolina with 66 percent of side bets and 64 percent of moneyline action. Apparantly the public sees the Blue Devils as overlined. Betting percentages on the total (OVER/UNDER) is leaning to the OVER (156) by 53 percent.
Before wagering this game, bettors must keep in consideration how often the Blue Devils are overlined due to the degree of difficulty it takes to win as a visiting team. Odds makers know this and set bets accordingly. While going 14-0 at home this season, the Blue Devils have only covered the point spread in half of those wins. Overall the Blue Devils are 12-10 ATS. Carolina is kept backers on the plus side of the betting margin in away games going 4-3. Overall the Tar Heels have covered ATS in 10-of-19 games.
College Basketball Predictions: No, I'm not making any bold upset prediction as I did for last night's Kentucky/Tennessee game. However, in these big rivalry games, I have a hard time calling against a 10-chalk spread. I'm predicting Carolina plays this game close and covers +10. NCAAB Spreads BEST BET – Carolina +10.
