- The Final Four at the NCAA Tournament tips-off on Saturday (April 2nd)
- Player props are available for the North Carolina vs Duke matchup
- See below to find out where the betting value lies in the Tar Heels vs Blue Devils March Madness player props
The greatest rivalry in college sports is about to take center stage on the biggest weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
North Carolina and Duke will square off in the second of Saturday’s Final Four games and believe it or not, this will be the first March Madness meeting ever between the storied rivals.
The amount of action on this game is going to be off the charts, and there’s no shortage of player props to wager on for this epic tilt.
North Carolina vs Duke Player Props
| UNC vs Duke | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armando Bacot (UNC) | 16.5 (Ov -105 / Un -125) | 13.5 (Ov -110 / Un -120) | OFF | OFF |
| Brady Manek (UNC) | 16.5 (Ov -120 / Un -110) | 5.5 (Ov -135 / Un +100) | OFF | 2.5 (Ov -125 / Un -105) |
| Caleb Love (UNC) | 16.5 (Ov -105 / Un -125) | 3.5 (Ov -110 / Un -120) | 3.5 (Ov -130 / Un +100) | 2.5 (Ov -115 / Un -115) |
| RJ Davis (UNC) | 13.5 (Ov -105 / Un -125) | 3.5 (Ov -170 / Un +125) |
3.5 (Ov -160 / Un +120) | 1.5 (Ov -145 / Un +110) |
| AJ Griffin (DUKE) | 11.5 (Ov -140 / Un +105) | 4.5 (Ov -125 / Un -105) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov -165 / Un +120) |
| Mark Williams (DUKE) | 13.5 (Ov -105 / Un -125) | 9.5 (Ov -110 / Un -120) | OFF | OFF |
| Paolo Banchero (DUKE) | 17.5 (Ov -115 / Un -115) | 6.5 (Ov -155 / Un +115) | 3.5 (Ov -150 / Un +115) | 1.5 (Ov +150 / Un -200) |
| Jeremy Roach (DUKE) | 9.5 (Ov -135 / Un +100) | OFF | 3.5 (Ov -110 / Un -120) | OFF |
| Wendell Moore Jr. (DUKE) | 12.5 (Ov -125 / Un -105) | 4.5 (Ov -110 / Un -120) | 3.5 (Ov -155 / Un +115) | 1.5 (Ov +180 / Un -245) |
Odds as of March 31st at DraftKings Sportsbook.
UNC entered the tournament as the East’s 8th seed in the March Madness bracket, and were considered a bubble team up until the final week of the regular season.
Duke on the other hand, has been flirting with the top of the board in the NCAA Tournament odds all season, and navigated through the West Region to get to this point.
These two programs met twice in the regular season, with the Blue Devils limiting Armando Bacot’s productivity on the glass each time.
Pick #1: Armando Bacot Under 13.5 Rebounds
Bacot’s recent rebounding numbers are absurd. He’s fresh off grabbing 22 boards versus Saint Peter’s, giving him 63 rebounds over four tournament games so far.
Armando Bacot scored 16 of his 20 points in the paint and ripped down 22 rebounds to lead North Carolina past Saint Peter’s.
He’s the first player with 20 points & 20 rebounds in the Elite 8 or later since Akeem Olajuwon for Houston in the 1983 Final Four. pic.twitter.com/WsLHJ2fKMg
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 27, 2022
With eye popping numbers like that, oddsmakers had no choice but to raise his rebounding prop, but 13.5 is a step too far. He eclipsed that total only 11 times in 31 regular season games, and recorded just 12 total rebounds in two games versus the Blue Devils.
That’s because Duke has plenty of size and excels in the rebounding department. In addition to longshot Wooden Award odds contender, and projected 6-10 lottery pick Paolo Banchero, the Blue Devils also feature 7-footer Mark Williams in their starting five.
Which big man would you rather have on your team? 🤔@DukeMBB | @UNC_Basketball pic.twitter.com/pDHnJq4LSd
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 30, 2022
The twin towers have both outrebounded Bacot in their two meetings, and are the primary reason Duke ranks 38th in the country in total rebounding.
Pick #2: Brady Manek Over 16.5 Points
Sticking with UNC, let’s target over 16.5 points for Brady Manek. The 6-9 senior has eclipsed this total in eight of his past 10 outings, and put up at least 20 points in both matchups versus the Blue Devils.
This was the killer. It came off a dead ball timeout. Duke switches the middle ball screen again & R.J. Davis attacks Paolo Banchero. On the penetration, A.J. Griffin tags Armando Bacot on the left block. This leaves Brady Manek open in the corner. Perfect read & skip by Davis. pic.twitter.com/tan5RtbyLZ
— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) March 6, 2022
Manek, along with Bacot, are two of the biggest reasons why the Tar Heels are one of the last teams standing in the Final Four odds, and the reason we’re bullish on him is the opportunity he’s seeing. Manek has taken at least 10 shots in eight straight games, and is averaging 13 attempts per outing during March Madness.
The majority of those attempts have come from beyond the arc where he’s been stellar. He’s buried 47% of his March Madness threes so far, and has splashed at least four triples in three of his four tournament games.
Brady Manek is 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄.
19 PTS | 8 REB | 7-11 FG | 4-6 3FG#CarolinaFamily | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/CwmqlGTAJN
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 27, 2022
The matchup isn’t superb, as Duke does a decent job of defending the perimeter, but the Blue Devils’ efficiency on offense forces opponents to play fast and get off a ton of shots. That will likely be the case on Saturday with Duke favored by 4 points, and a projected negative game script helps elevate Manek’s offensive ceiling projection.
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