Stout defense trumped efficient offense in the first women’s basketball game between Duke and UNC this season. Both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels are ranked in the top 20 in the most recent AP Top 25 poll.

After avoiding disaster with a last-second victory over Eastern Kentucky, the Cardinals knocked off North Carolina by 13. Pat Kelsey has things heading in the right direction. The Tar Heels were without Seth Trimble, but their loss at Louisville dropped them to 8-6: their worst 14-game start in five years.

The Blue Devils’ dominant defense was again on point against Pittsburgh, and freshmen Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were active on offense.

The No. 14 Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team faced the No. 18 North Carolina Tar Heels in a top-20 matchup Thursday. The game delivered on its expectations, reaching overtime after Duke overcame a late UNC lead,

No. 19 North Carolina defeated No. 14 Duke 53-46 on Thursday at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C., the first of two meetings between the rival teams. North Carolina senior Alyssa Ustby led the Tar Heels with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Number 14 Duke went over to Chapel Hill and lost a low-scoring, overtime affair to the Tar Heels, 53-46. Needless to say, it was a poor shooting game. UNC shot 32 percent overall to Duke’s 23.5 percent.

No. 19 North Carolina picked up a huge 53-46 overtime win at home against No. 14 Duke on Thursday night despite a sloppy offensive performance.

It’s time to continue our Women’s College Basketball odds series with a Duke-North Carolina prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Duke-North Carolina. The Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels are both ranked in the top 20.