The No. 3 ranked Duke Blue Devils return home from Littlejohn Coliseum with their tails between their legs after watching their nine-game win streak go up in flames against the Clemson Tigers. The “Cameron Crazies” were already likely to be lit for this primetime matchup with the No. 11 Louisville Cardinals, but the fact that their team will hit the hardwood looking to avoid dropping two straight should have them amped even more. Chris Mack’s kids were forced to expend a ton of energy to dispose of Pitt last time out, so it will be interesting to see what they have left in the tank to close the road trip out in style. That said, The Ville has failed to win or cover its pair of treks to Durham since joining the ACC and got smashed 82-56 back in 2018.
This ACC showdown will take place on Saturday, January 18, 2020. Tip-off will be at 6 p.m. ET from Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. So make sure to fill out your March Madness Bracket today!
CBB Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
The Cardinals aren’t in the good graces of college basketball bettors right now. Though the team enters this tilt winners of two straight, it failed to cover the closing pointspread at online sportsbooks in both matchups to fall to 1-3-1 ATS over the last five games. Louisville came up just short of covering the 6-point spread in overtime against the Panthers, but didn’t deserve to regardless having never toppled the impost over the game’s entirety. The triumph moved the team to 4-1 SU and 2-2-1 ATS when playing away from the KFC Yum! Center.
The Dookies entered Super Tuesday’s tilt with the Tigers on a roll having rattled off nine straight wins that saw them reward their wagering supporters with six pointspread covers. With that, they invaded Clemson overinflated 9-point favorites that never once saw them in a position to cover the number. They had to scratch and claw their way to a brief lead in the second half only to see the Tigers once again take control of the game and go on to secure the 79-72 victory. The Blue Devils return home to the comforts of Cameron Indoor where they’ve won 10 of 11 games and gone 6-5 ATS.
Matchup to Watch
Though Louisville has shown an ability to score close to the basket with just over 50 percent of points scored per game coming via 2-pointers (#190), it wants to make hay from beyond the arc. The Redbirds score nearly 33 percent of its points from beyond the arc (No. 126), and loft an average of 21.2 attempts per game (No. 193). This however isn’t a good matchup for Jordan Nwora and company to make hay from long range. Duke has allowed a 30.3 percent success rate from deep (No. 71), and only allows 22.9 percent of the points scored against it to come from beyond the stripe (No. 14). After allowing Clemson to bury 8 of its 19 attempted 3-point shots on Tuesday night, you can bet your bottom dollar Coach K has his kids doing perimeter defensive drills in the practices leading up to Saturday. If Louisville can’t do more close to the rack, it’s not winning this game.
Prediction
I can’t help but think Tre Jones and Vernon Carey Jr. will be on the warpath in this one with the team coming off that embarrassing defeat in Littlejohn. The game after the team shockingly lost outright at home to Steven F. Austin, the duo combined for 46 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in a surprising 87-75 handling of the Michigan State Spartans in the Breslin Center. That paired with The Ville already dropping tough matchups against higher ranked opponents in Kentucky and Florida State as well as Texas Tech has me leaning towards laying the home chalk with the Blue Devils; so long as the impost is in the 5-7 point range. Anything higher and it’s a hard pass! Points should also be tough to come by, though the Cardinals possibly having tired legs from that overtime win at Pitt will ultimately keep me off the under.
College Basketball Pick: Duke 73, Louisville 65
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