The Duke Blue Devils might not be the No. 1 team in the country, but everyone knows they are the team to beat. Duke has the inside track to win the ACC, and the Blue Devils have been the most impressive team in the country this year. They have the two best players in the nation in Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, so everyone has them as the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. The Louisville Cardinals will look to play spoiler, but they know they will have their hands full.
This AAC showdown will take place on Tuesday, February 12, 2019. Tip-off will be at 9 p.m. ET from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Odds Analysis
Louisville became battle tested during its non-conference schedule. The Cardinals played a brutal schedule that included games against five ranked teams, and the only one they managed to end up beating was Michigan State. However, they played both Marquette and Indiana tough, and Louisville was ready for the start of conference play. After a bad loss to Pittsburgh, they won six straight conference games including wins over both North Carolina and North Carolina State. Louisville suffered a tough five-point loss on the road against Florida State on Saturday, and the Cardinals are trying to avoid losses in three of their last four.
Saturday’s win on the road against Virginia was huge for Duke. The Blue Devils had already clipped the Cavaliers in Durham earlier this season, so this win gives them the head-to-head tiebreaker. They have lost just once in conference play all year, and an injury to Tre Jones had a lot to do with that.
Key Injuries
There are no injuries to report for either team ahead of this game.
Player to Watch
How many adjectives can you use to describe Williamson? Williamson has been phenomenal this season, and just when you think you’ve seen it all, he shows you something new. On Saturday, it was his incredible length and leaping ability on defense. He was able to quickly close out on a Cavalier that was wide open from beyond the arc and was able to block a shot he had no business getting to.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen anything like Williamson. He moves like a player that weighs 50 pounds less than what he does, and his athleticism is without parallel. He is averaging 21.8 PPG and 9.2 RPG, and he is hitting nearly 70 percent of his field goals on the year. His play has only gotten better as the season has gone on too, so it will be amazing to see what he can do in March Madness.
Matchup to Watch
The Cardinals have one of the better offenses in the country, and they will test this Duke defense. Ken Pomeroy has Louisville ranked as the 15th best offense in the country, and the Cardinals have been successful from range. Their top five scorers are all shooting at least 38 percent from distance, so Duke is happy to have Jones healthy for this one.
Prediction
Both teams will have two nights off prior to Tuesday’s game. Louisville is going to be a bit fatigued considering it played an overtime game on Saturday, while many of Duke’s starters may be a bit winded considering they all played big minutes against Virginia over the weekend.
Duke is going to be favored on the road in Louisville, but I think the Cardinals can keep it close. They have been keeping their players fresh by using a deep bench, and that will come in hand in this game. It’s hard to call for the upset given Duke’s strength, but I see Louisville getting the cover.
CBB Betting Odds: Duke 78, Louisville 74
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