Duke vs. NC State odds, prediction: 2026 college basketball picks for March 2 from proven model
CBS Sports
by
Daniel Kohn
March 2, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The highly anticipated college basketball matchup between the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina State Wolfpack is set to take place at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Duke, currently ranked number one, aims to secure the ACC regular-season title with a win against NC State, who are looking to bounce back from a recent loss. The Blue Devils have been on a winning streak, including a 77-51 victory over Virginia, while the Wolfpack dropped their last game to Notre Dame. Duke is favored by 9.5 points in this matchup, with an over/under total of 148.5 points set by DraftKings Sportsbook.
SportsLine's Projection Model has simulated this game 10,000 times and predicts a high-scoring affair, leaning toward the "Over" hitting well over 60% of the time. The model projects Duke to have three players scoring in double digits, led by Cameron Boozer with an impressive 22.1 points. NC State is also expected to showcase strong offensive output, with five players projected to score at least 10 points each, highlighted by Darrion Williams' 14.2-point contribution. This suggests a competitive and fast-paced game that could surpass the total point threshold.
The model's analysis indicates Duke’s dominance in recent matchups and their consistent road performance, which may give them an edge despite playing on NC State's home court. The Wolfpack, while struggling slightly with two consecutive losses
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Originally published on CBS Sports on 3/2/2026