2-seed Duke women's basketbal continues its hunt for a national championship with a Sweet Sixteen bout against 3-seed and arch rival North Carolina later this week. The Blue Devils are looking to avenge last season's Sweet Sixteen loss to UConn with a trip to the Elite Eight, and only the Tar Heels stand in their way.
Here's everything you need to know before Duke tips off against North Carolina.
When and where: 2:30pm ET on ESPN, Friday, March 28th, at Legacy Arena at BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama
Streaming platforms to watch Duke: ESPN+, Fubo, YouTube TV, HULU, Disney+
Opponent: 3-seed North Carolina Tar Heels (29-7, 13-5 ACC). The Blue Devils have split their season series against UNC this season, as the Heels won 53-46 in Chapel Hill and Duke won 68-53 in Durham later on in the season. The Heels took down 14-seed Oregon State 70-49 in the Round of 64 and 6-seed West Virginia 58-47 to reach the second weekend of the tournament.
Betting odds: Duke -6.5 with a -240 moneyline. Total points O/U 124.5 per ESPNBET.
Overview and predictions
The Blue Devils are coming off of an upset scare from 10-seed Oregon in the Round of 32, but a second-half 20-point effort from Ashlon Jackson propelled Duke to a 59-53 victory, and now the Blue Devils are back in the Sweet Sixteen for the second straight season. ACC Rookie of the Year Toby Fournier missed the contest against Oregon because she "wasn't feeling well" and team doctors did not clear her to play. Her status for Friday's game against the Tar Heels remains unknown. The Heels have been getting their wins so far in the tournament with their defense, so taking care of the basketball will be crucial for the Blue Devils on Friday. UNC scored 23 points off of 16 West Virginia turnovers in the Round of 32 and scored 22 points off of 17 turnovers forced against Oregon State. The Blue Devils have struggled slightly taking care of the ball, committing 28 turnovers across their two NCAA Tournament games. Look for Jackson to have another big night along with Reigan Richardson if Fournier can't go, but Duke's offense as a whole will be too much for the Heels to handle.
Score prediction: 68-62 Duke