OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free sports pick Saturday and it’s is on North Carolina (-0) hosting Duke.
Reasoning: I’m not calling the Tar Heels at around a pick a great value of sorts because all in all Coach K’s Blue Devils are still the superior team that should go further in the tournament but in this revenge spot at home I’ll take my chances with Carolina blue.
I’m just not fully sold on Duke as a legitimate number one type team. Sure they’re really good with Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler and a bunch of quality players but after losing Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas from last season the big men are not all that right now as the Plumlee Brothers are nothing more than good and without Jon Scheyer and Kyrie Irving running the show the Dookies are not a great team, they’re just not.
North Carolina is not all the way back after the disaster of last season but Roy Williams’ squad has made great strides and is a confident squad that continues to improve. Today is the game where they are going to go full steam ahead. The ACC title is on the line along with a matter of revenge and the Heels are playing at the Dean Dome. It’s just tough for me to see Duke coming into hostile territory in this rivalry and being able to sweep this series. If you watched the first game between the teams about a month ago it was apparent in that thing how UNC was the definite better team. The Devils made a great comeback in the victory as they nailed everything in that eight or so minute stretch but they did not cover in the end and certainly did not deserve to grab the cash.
Harrison Barnes may be a one and done superstar, John Henson is a really tough inside presence and all in all the Heels are once again a team that is going to cause anybody fits and especially on their home court.
It’s very possible for these teams to meet another time or two before the season is out and for Duke to flex its muscles but on this night I’m just fine with the Tar Heels getting some payback in their friendly confines.
The pick: North Carolina
For more information: It’s a great day to get out of the funk and a funk it has been over the past week. February was really good and March has been really bad. That’s the life of a handicapper, capitalize on the big runs and minimize the bad ones. Three winners today including an early 400,000* between Duquesne and Richmond plus a bonus 300,000* Notre Dame and Connecticut along with a 200,000* Texas-Baylor. Get Rivers redemption at OffshoreInsiders.com