Duke vs. North Carolina: 5 Bold Predictions for Rivalry Game

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With the NFL season coming to an end on Sunday, the national focus will quickly dive into the world of college basketball. What better way to kick things off than with No. 5 Duke (19-3, 6-1 ACC) at No. 6 North Carolina (19-3, 6-1 ACC) on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Dean E. Smith Center. 

In case you were so deeply interested in other sports while overlooking college basketball, Duke and North Carolina are once again on top of the ACC Conference.

With Florida State and Virginia on their tails, Wednesday’s matchup will bring no shortage of meaning to this classic rivalry.

Here are five bold predictions for their clash.

No. 5: Austin Rivers Will Post a Career High in Points

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North Carolina’s defense is going to allow their share of points to Duke on Wednesday night; they are also going to score their share as well.

This game will be played in the high 70's or into the 80's; North Carolina is No. 1 and Duke is No. 11 in points scored per game.

Freshman Austin Rivers will be asked to handle the ball to create shots for others and himself. He’s the only one that can consistently create his own shot off the dribble on the Blue Devils squad. 

Rivers has scored 18 or more points in three of his past five games and has hit double-figures in 18 games this season. His career high is 22 at Ohio State.

He lives for the big-game atmospheres, and he will be ready to go on Wednesday in his first taste of arguably the greatest rivalry in sports.  

No. 4: John Henson and Tyler Zeller Will Outplay Duke's Big Men

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North Carolina's John Henson and Tyler Zeller average 29 points and 20 rebounds combined this season. Duke's Mason and Miles Plumlee and Ryan Kelly average 31 points and 21 rebounds per game combined.  

On Wednesday night, Henson and Zeller will outscore and outrebound their opponents down low. Duke is No. 125 in country in rebounds per game at 35.6, while North Carolina is No. 1 at 46.3. We are talking about a clear-cut advantage in the paint for the Tar Heels.

Zeller is coming off 18 points and 18 rebounds against Wake Forest; Henson scored 14 points and 12 rebounds to aid the victory.

They’re ready for another fantastic showing. 

No. 3: Duke's Lack of Playmaking Guards Will Haunt Them Down the Stretch

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There is no question that Austin Rivers is one of the best talents in college basketball. However, Duke doesn’t have anybody else that is capable of creating their own shot on a consistent basis.

Rivers leads the team in scoring at 14.3 points per game. You can pick at this how you want, but having a freshman lead you in a scoring at just above 14 points, especially from the guard position, isn’t the best thing in the world.

Who else will be able to step up? Not one player averages more than 2.5 assists per game; they do it as a group. They use a plethora of players, and while that may be great at some times this season, it won’t be on Wednesday.

Asking a freshman to be your leading scorer, create shots for others and have the ball in his hands in the end is a lot to put on a freshman's shoulders. It will be a glaring problem late against North Carolina.  

No. 2: Harrison Barnes Will Score 30 Points

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Sophomore Harrison Barnes has quietly been doing his thing in Chapel Hill this year. He’s not garnering the attention he received last season for being the best recruit coming out of high school; he’s able to just play his game.

Barnes has only scored 30 or more points once in his career, and that was against Clemson, when he dropped 40. He’s plenty capable of having a career-like day. 

He has scored more than 25 points three times this year, and his season high is 27—in January at Virginia Tech.

Barnes has scored 23 or more points in three of seven ACC games; two came at the Dean E. Smith Center. 

He will drop 30 on Wednesday night. 

No. 1: North Carolina Claims Victory

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North Carolina will win the ACC regular season this year, and winning Wednesday night would give them a giant advantage going forward. 

The Tar Heels' three losses have came against UNLV (virtually on the road), at Kentucky (one-point defeat) and at Florida State, a place that hasn’t been great to them in recent history.

Duke lost at Ohio State, Temple and to Florida State at home. 

By no means are the Tar Heels a perfect team, especially defensively, but they have the better team at this point.

Kendall Marshall is nearly averaging 10 assists per game, Harrison Barnes is looking like a legitimate All-American candidate and their big guys, John Henson and Tyler Zeller, are averaging a combined 29 points and 20 rebounds per game.

North Carolina wins for the second straight year at home against Duke.

Prediction: North Carolina 85, Duke 80