After 42 seasons patrolling the Cameron Indoor Stadium sidelines, Saturday will be the final time that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will lead the Blue Devils inside the program’s historic home venue. The No. 4 Blue Devils host arch rival North Carolina at 6 p.m. ET to close the regular season and end an illustrious chapter on a floor that Coach K helped turn into one of the most iconic in sports.
Amid all the deserving attention that will be given to Krzyzewski, there is still a game to play, and it could be an important one. Duke (26-4, 16-3 ACC) is a projected No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament, according to Jerry Palm’s Bracketology and could use a strong finish to solidify its standing before Selection Sunday on March 13. The Blue Devils have won seven straight and are guaranteed to be the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament even with a loss to UNC.
There is nothing that North Carolina fans would love more, though, than to spoil Krzyzewski’s final home game in a moment that could be critical to the NCAA Tournament hopes of the Tar Heels (22-8, 14-5). UNC is among the “First Four Out” of the projected field, according to CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm. Avenging an earlier 87-67 home loss to Duke with an upset victory on the road would add a marquee win to the Tar Heels’ resume.
Listen below and subscribe to the Eye on College Basketball podcast where Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander break down Coach K’s last game inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.
In that first meeting on Feb. 5, Duke got 27 points from freshman wing AJ Griffin and jumped out to a huge early lead. UNC has responded to that shellacking by winning six of its seven games since.
How to watch Duke vs. North Carolina live
Date: Saturday, March 5 | Time: 6:20 p.m. ET
Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium– Durham, North Carolina
TV: ESPN
Duke vs. North Carolina prediction, picks
Will Duke’s young team be overwhelmed by the historic nature of this moment and struggle to get in a rhythm amid the emotion and mayhem surrounding Coach K’s final home game? Potentially, yes. The Blue Devils used a 31-8 start to run away from North Carolina in the first meeting. Since that 20-point Duke win, the Tar Heels have won six of their last seven. Replicating the fast start of the first meeting against a UNC team playing for its spot in the NCAA Tournament won’t be easy for Duke. In the end, however, UNC’s defense is too porous to hold Duke down for 40 minutes. Prediction: Duke 80, North Carolina 74
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