Rivalry Week is finally here. On Saturday night, every college basketball fan in the world should have their eyes glued to UNC-Duke.
At 6:30 p.m. tonight, North Carolina (18-4, 6-3 ACC) hosts its archrival in Round One of the Tobacco Road Rivalry. The Tar Heels and ACC-leading Blue Devils (21-1, 10-0 ACC) are both red-hot right now: UNC winning its past four, with Duke winners of nine straight.
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This game will have plenty of fireworks, perhaps none greater than a matchup between freshman phenoms Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer. Wilson is a major reason behind North Carolina’s rapid ascension up the ACC standings, while Boozer has the Blue Devils a National Championship contender.
UNC fans painfully remember how each 2024-25 matchup fared against Duke. The Blue Devils won both regular-season matchups, plus an ACC Tournament semifinals clash. The Tar Heels played better at home, but Cooper Flagg and Duke took over late.
North Carolina re-loaded its roster during the offseason, with head coach Hubert Davis securing talent from both the transfer portal and 2025 recruiting class.
Wilson is UNC’s best player, averaging a near double-double with 20 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, while also leading his teammates with 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. The Tar Heels have 7-footer Henri Veesaar clogging the paint, Luka Bogavac adding much-needed production off the bench and Jarin Stevenson doing a little bit of everything.
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If you’re lucky enough to get a ticket for this must-watch, Saturday night game, have the time of your life and please wear Carolina Blue. If you’re planning to watch tonight’s game on TV, your favorite streaming device, listening on the radio or somewhere else, keep reading below for more broadcast information.
What channel is UNC vs. Duke on Saturday? Time, TV schedule, radio
TV Channel: ESPN
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Radio: SiriusXM (Channels 81 and 84)
Website: WatchESPN
Where to watch UNC vs. Duke on live stream
UNC vs. Duke prediction, picks, odds
The Tar Heels are hot right now, but Duke is arguably the best team in college basketball. Something will have to give Saturday night in Chapel Hill, as the Dean Dome will be rocking throughout.
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North Carolina enters this game 13-0 at home, but the Blue Devils are better than any previous home opponent, including Kansas. UNC will have to win the paint battle, with Wilson and Veesaar battling Boozer and Patrick Ngongba.
The Tar Heels have a deeper backcourt, which will be the factor. Seth Trimble has the best game of his 4-year career at North Carolina, which upsets its archrival in an instant classic.
Score prediction: UNC 75, Duke 69
Spread: Duke -5.5
Total: O/U 150.5
Moneyline: UNC +205, Duke -250
Full UNC basketball schedule
Oct. 4: Blue-White Scrimmage (White 55, Blue 50)
Oct. 24: at BYU (preseason, L 78-76)
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Oct. 29: vs. Winston-Salem State (preseason, W 95-53)
Nov. 3: vs. Central Arkansas (W, 94-54)
Nov. 7: vs. Kansas (W, 87-74)
Nov. 11: vs. Radford (W, 89-74)
Nov. 14: vs. NC Central (W, 97-53)
Nov. 18: vs. Navy (W, 73-61)
Nov. 25: vs. St. Bonaventure in Fort Myers (Florida) Tip-Off (W, 85-70)
Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (L, 74-58)
Dec. 2: at Kentucky (W, 67-64)
Dec. 7: vs. Georgetown (W, 81-61)
Dec. 13: vs. USC Upstate (W, 80-62)
Dec. 16: vs. ETSU (W, 77-58)
Dec. 20: vs. Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic (W, 71-70)
Dec. 22: vs. East Carolina (W, 99-51)
Dec. 30: vs. Florida State (W, 79-66)
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January 3: at SMU (L, 97-83)
Jan. 10: vs. Wake Forest (W, 87-84)
Jan. 14: at Stanford (L, 95-90)
Jan. 17: at California (L, 84-78)
Jan. 21: vs. Notre Dame (W, 91-69)
Jan. 24: at Virginia (W, 85-80)
Jan. 31: at Georgia Tech (W, 91-75)
Feb. 2: vs. Syracuse (W, 87-77)
Feb. 7: vs. Duke (6:30 p.m.)
Feb. 10: at Miami (Florida) (7 p.m.)
Feb. 14: vs. Pitt (2 p.m.)
Feb. 17: at NC State (7 p.m.)
Feb. 21: at Syracuse (1 p.m.)
Feb. 23: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)
Feb. 28: vs. Virginia Tech (TBA)
March 3: vs. Clemson (7 p.m.)
March 7: at Duke (6:30 p.m.)
March 10-14: ACC Tournament in Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Time, streaming information, picks, odds vs. Duke
