3 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for North Carolina at Duke

The college basketball season is rolling along, giving us plentiful betting options with so many teams in action each day.

Fortunately, we have abundant tools available that can aid our chances of finding good betting value. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

The greatest rivalry in college basketball is back as North Carolina travels to take on Duke. According to FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds, No. 2 Duke is a heavy 13.5-point favorite as it carries an 18-2 record while North Carolina is 13-9. In a battle between Blue Bloods, what are the best bets in one of sport's most intense rivalries?

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

North Carolina at Duke Betting Picks

Duke Over 81.5 Points (-114)

With a 1-3 record over the last four games while going 2-7-1 against the spread (ATS) in the past 10, we don't have many positives about the Tar Heels. They are simply outclassed in this matchup, ranking 44th in Bart Torvik while the Blue Devils are 3rd. Duke has the shortest odds to win the national championship (+400), and UNC will be lucky to make the NCAA Tournament at this point -- there's levels to this.

This one could get ugly, but a 13.5-point spread is lofty -- especially in a rivalry. We do have one game line worth leaning on, though. North Carolina is 54th in adjusted defensive efficiency while Duke is 13th in offensive efficiency. The Blue Devils love to shoot the three, averaging 27.7 attempts (93rd percentile) and 10.1 makes (95th percentile) per game. The Tar Heels give up 24.7 shots (19th percentile) and 8.1 makes (32nd percentile) per game from three-point land.

Defending the three only gets even more concerning when we dive into shot distributions. As suspected, Duke carries a high number at 47.2% (93rd percentile), and opponents sport a 38.8% three-point shot distribution when facing UNC (50th percentile for defense).

The Blue Devils have scored at least 88 points in three of their last five, and the Tar Heels in the 95th percentile for the quickest pace helps further contribute to the over. Duke is in the 59th percentile of field goal attempts per game while North Carolina is in the 5th percentile for shots allowed per contest. Don't be surprised if the Tar Heels can push the pace a bit; being the quicker team is one of UNC's only advantages. If the pace speeds up, this only helps the Devils' shooters rain down more three-pointers.

Kon Knueppel Over 14.5 Points (-104)

Considering Duke's advantage from three-point land, it's only right to target one of its lethal shooters in props. Kon Knueppel leads the Dukies with 126 three-point attempts on the season -- which is good for 6.3 three-point shots per game.

Over the freshman's last nine contests, Knueppel is logging 7.1 three-point shots per game. He's been over his season-long average of 13.1 points per game (PPG) too, racking up 15 points in four of his last six outings.

Not only does the freshman wing get up plenty of three-point looks, he also shoots an efficient 37.3% from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-7, he will likely pose some problems for an undersized UNC team, too.

The Tar Heels lean heavily on their guards -- R.J. Davis (6'0"), Elliot Cadeau (6'1"), Seth Trimble (6'3"), and Ian Jackson (6'4"). A part of a lengthy Duke rotation, Knueppel (6'7") is typically playing the two or three. This means he should have a four or six-inch height advantage, whether it's Cadeau or Trimble defending. Neither player has outstanding Defensive Bayesian Performance Ratings (DBPR) with Cadeau at 1.80 and Trimble carrying 1.53 -- via EvanMiya.

A height advantage is yet another reason that the Blue Devils will likely dominate. Knueppel has the luxury of leaning on his height and the ability to cash in threes. This is setting up to be a dream matchup for the freshman wing.

Ian Jackson Under 15.5 Points (-130)

We've been all Duke thus far and that's not stopping with our final pick. Going back to that size advantage, the former five-star recruit Ian Jackson could get the short end of the stick.

While the Blue Devils have flashy scorers like Cooper Flagg (19.9 PPG) and Knueppel (13.1 PPG), this team's ability to defend is what makes them truly special. Duke is third in defensive efficiency while giving up a measly 59.6 PPG (99th percentile) and a 43.1% effective field goal percentage (99th percentile).

Jackson's shot distribution has been excellent, taking 42.1% of his looks at the rim and 42.5% from three. To go over 15.5 points, Jackson will probably have to shoot threes as the Devils are in the 96th percentile of close twos shot distribution allowed -- courtesy of Khaman Maluach and Flagg averaging 1.2 blocks per game each.

This is where the trouble comes in -- Jackson is going to have some size on him no matter what. Whether it's Flagg at 6-foot-9 or Knueppel at 6-foot-7, shooting over the top of this defense will be tricky. These cats can move too thanks to elite athleticism, proven by Flagg's absurd 4.79 DBPR and Knueppel's 3.09 DBPR. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Sion James is another potential defender for Jackson, posing another daunting DBPR at 2.67.

No matter who the Dukies throw at the star freshman's way, he will be outsized in both height and weight. He's a light 190 pounds, causing questions about his strength.

Making matters worse, Jackson has hit a cold streak by shooting 38.1% over the last four while going under 10 points in three of those appearances. I'm firmly on under 15.5 points for the freshman wing.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $200 in Bonus Bets if your first $5+ bet wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.