2022 NCAA Tournament Final Four: Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
How to Watch:
- Date: Saturday, April 2
- Time: 8:49 p.m. ET
- Location: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA
- TV: TBS
- Live Stream: NCAA.com
Tale of the Tape:
| No. 2 DUKE | STAT | No. 8 UNC |
| ACC | Conference | ACC |
| 32-6 | Record | 28-9 |
| 80.1 (9th) | Points Per Game | 78.6 (28th) |
| 67.4 | Points Allowed Per Game | 68.1 |
| 0.6147 (16th) | RPI | 0.593 (35th) |
| 50th | Strength of Schedule | 28th |
| At-Large Bid | Bid | At-Large Bid |
Can’t Miss Offer From Caesars
Duke leaders:
- Paolo Banchero, G, FR: 17.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.2 ASG, 1.1 SPG, 47.8% FG
- Wendell Moore Jr., G/F, JR: 13.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 41.1% 3PT
North Carolina leaders:
- Armando Bacot, F, JR: 16.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 58.6% FG
- Caleb Love, G, SO: 15.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 37.1% 3PT
Odds, Lines, and Past Performance:
- Spread: Duke -4
- Duke Moneyline: -190
- UNC Moneyline: +160
- Over/Under: 151
- Over/Under Record: DUKE 21-16-1, UNC 21-16
- Over/Under Trends: Three of UNC’s last five games have gone under this total. Three of Duke’s last five have also gone under 151 with one push.
- ATS Record: DUKE 20-16-2, UNC 2o-16-1
The Pick
- We all know the storyline here. This is the first time these storied rivals have ever met in the NCAA tournament and it’s happening in Coach Krzyzewski’s final season at the helm at Duke. The Blue Devils will also be looking for revenge after the Tar Heels ruined Coach K’s final home game by beating Duke 94-81 in the regular season. As a result, this should be one of the most intense games in recent memory.
- That big moment could be exactly what Tar Heels’ guard Caleb Love wants after he scored 30 points in the Sweet 16 game against UCLA, including two clutch threes late in the 2nd half to propel the underdog Tar Heels to victory. Love has averaged 18 points per game in the NCAA Tournament on 37.5% from three but has shot only 38.7% from the field overall.
- Despite the focus on Love and Armando Bacot (16.5 ppg and 16 rpg in the tournament), the true star for the Tar Heels has been Brady Manek. The senior is the leading scorer remaining in the NCAA tournament, averaging 21.5 points per game on 57.7% shooting and 47.1% from three. If he continues to shoot at that rate, it’s going to be really hard to stop this team. It could be particularly challenging for the Blue Devils, who are the worst remaining defense left in the tournament, according to KenPom; although, they are still the 45th-most efficient defense in the country.
- The Blue Devils will need to win behind their 1st-ranked offense, which has been led in the tournament, and really all season by Banchero, who is averaging 18.5 points on 51% from the field and 53.3% from three during the tournament.
- The team will also need a big game from center Mark Williams because scoring inside on Bacot can be tough. Williams is the Blue Devils’ second-leading scorer in the tournament with 14.5 points per game on 80.6% from the field. He also leads the Blue Devils with 8.8 rebounds per game in the tournament and an impressive 4 blocks per game, which should be helpful against Bacot. However, the rebounding numbers are a far cry from the massive numbers Bacot is putting up, and the Blue Devils will need a full team effort if they hope to keep up with the Tar Heels on the glass.
- The Tar Heels will want to play fast, ranking 39th in adjusted tempo to the Blue Devils’ 170th, so if the game is as fast and high-scoring as the regular season final is, that will favor the underdog here. The Blue Devils will want to keep the game more methodically paced and use their more efficient offense; however, the stakes of the game and the likely energy that will come along with it could make slow and efficient harder to achieve.
For more 2022 NCAA Tournament coverage, visit TailgateSports.com
