Duke basketball vs. NC State prediction: March Madness, Elite Eight pick is in
DALLAS — The NC State and Duke basketball teams don't need to be told too much about their latest March Madness opponents.
The Blue Devils (27-8) and Wolfpack (25-14) are plenty familiar with each other. The two longtime, in-state rivals are simply taking their show on the road to American Airlines Center in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight.
Winners goes to the Final Four. Loser goes back to North Carolina to figure out what's next. Could it be any bigger than that?
Duke and NC State split their two meetings this season, the Blue Devils winning on the Wolfpack's home floor 79-64. Ten days later, NC State got its revenge, knocking Duke out of the ACC Tournament with a 74-69 win in Washington, D.C.
How will the third meeting of the year go? Let's take a look
NC State basketball defense vs. Duke offense
The Wolfpack's calling card during their eight-game winning streak, going from outside the NCAA Tournament field entirely to one game from the Final Four, has come with defense. Opponents are shooting just 28% from 3-point range against NC State during the postseason, highlighted by Marquette's 4-of-31 showing from distance in Friday's Sweet 16. In the ACC Tournament contest, Duke had its second-worst outside shooting game of the season against the Wolfpack.
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Veteran presence key for Duke basketball
The Blue Devils are typically one of the youngest teams in the country, and that's not different this year. Duke employs a starting lineup of three sophomores, a freshman and one senior. That elder statesman, Jeremy Roach, is the key for Duke. In a tight Sweet 16 game against Houston, Roach scored all 14 of his points in the second half, which included his team's final bucket of the game. A starter on the last Final Four team for Duke, Roach knows how to handle himself in crucial situations.
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March Madness darling DJ Burns vs. college basketball villain Kyle Filipowski
DJ Burns has captured the hearts and attention of the country during NC State's postseason run. Already a fan favorite, he's sure to be rooted for even harder going against Duke's Kyle Filipowski. In recent weeks, including the court-storming incident at Wake Forest and tripping incident against North Carolina, Filipowski has become even more of a villain than he was before, which comes with the territory playing for the Blue Devils. Both players have embraced their roles during March Madness, which should amp up the Dallas crowd one way or the other throughout the game.
More: Michael O'Connell the glue to NC State basketball's appearance in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Duke vs. NC State prediction in March Madness Elite Eight
Duke 75, NC State 71: The Blue Devils seem to have found a new edge to them during the NCAA Tournament, one they'll need to handle the Wolfpack's crisp play over the last few weeks. Both teams are confident at the moment, but the Blue Devils have a few more bucket getters than the Wolfpack and won't be surprised by anything Burns is able to do on the court.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Duke basketball vs. NC State prediction: March Madness pick is in
