The Clemson Tigers have been one of the pleasant surprises of the college basketball season, as they are currently in second place in the ACC ahead of traditional powers like Duke, North Carolina, Louisville and Syracuse. Clemson has passed several tests thus far this season but faces another stiff one this week against the Blue Devils.
Duke is on the road but is one of the most talented teams in the country and has the capacity to knock off anyone on a given night. However, Clemson has stood tough all season and is actually ranked higher than the Blue Devils heading into this one.
Duke could be a slight favorite based on its prowess but this game is stacking up like it should be a close one.
At 1 p.m. ET, tune into ACC Network for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Sunday, February 18, 2018, at the Littlejohn Coliseum.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Sunday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Duke is 20-5 straight up and 14-10 against the spread. The Blue Devils have covered in five of their nine attempts on the road this season. Duke is 13-9 against the spread as the favorite on the season. The Blue Devils aren’t likely to be the underdog unless a key injury lingers, and they have only been the underdog twice this year.
Clemson is 20-4 straight up and 13-8 against the spread. The Tigers have gone an impressive 9-1 against the spread at home this season, which is definitely something to consider when the spread is revealed. Clemson has covered in three of their five attempts as the underdog on the year.
Key Stat
65.1. That’s the number of points per game Clemson is allowing per game this year. The Tigers have done a really nice job clamping down, which has been a huge key to its success. Clemson is in the top 25 in the country in points allowed, but it will be quite the test to slow down Duke.
The Blue Devils average 88.8 points per game, which is one of the best marks in the country. Duke has several players that could one day make it to the NBA, so Clemson won’t be able to key on only one player when attempting a game plan to slow down Duke.
This might be the most crucial matchup in this game. If Clemson can’t keep Duke in check, it will have a really tough time keeping pace.
Injury Report
Marvin Bagley III – Despite Duke’s recent struggles, the freshman forward has remained solid for the Blue Devils. He is averaging 21.2 points and 11.4 rebounds a game this year.
Bagley missed last weekend’s game against Georgia Tech with knee pain, and also didn’t play in Wednesday’s game against Virginia Tech. Bagley finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds in his team’s 65-63 loss to Virginia on January 27th and would be a huge boost in the lineup if he is able to make it back for this one. Keep a close eye on his status.
No matter what level of competition has been on the other side, Bagley has found a way to excel this season. The 6-foot-11 forward has fared well against ranked competition, finishing with 30 points and 15 rebounds against Florida back in November and recording 32 points and 21 rebounds in a win over Florida State in late December.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
Clemson is a good team and should be a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. It has already knocked off some of the well-known teams in the conference and would love to add a big home victory over Duke to the resume.
However, the Blue Devils have the superior team. Provided Bagley is able to play, that should give the Blue Devils a big edge down low. Take Duke to not only win this game straight up but to also cover the spread.
Look for the Blue Devils to shoot efficiently from the field, but Clemson will struggle and that will keep this contest “under” the projected scoring total most likely
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Duke 77, Clemson 70
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