The Auburn Tigers take on the Duke Blue Devils in Durham, NC. Tip-off is set for 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Duke is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -165. The total is set at 146.5 points.
Here’s my Auburn vs. Duke predictions and college basketball picks for December 4, 2024.
Auburn vs Duke Prediction
My Pick: Duke -2.5
My Auburn vs Duke best bet is on the Blue Devils spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Auburn vs Duke Odds, Pick, Spread
| Auburn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 146.5 -110o / -110u | +140 |
| Duke Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 146.5 -110o / -110u | -165 |
- Auburn vs Duke spread: Duke -3.5
- Auburn vs Duke over/under: 146.5 points
- Auburn vs Duke moneyline: Duke -165, Auburn +140
- Auburn vs Duke best bet: Duke -2.5
Auburn vs Duke College Basketball Betting Preview
Auburn Basketball
The Auburn Tigers are the best team in the country. I'm pretty confident that is the case, as Auburn ranks first in KenPom, including first in offensive efficiency and seventh in defensive efficiency.
Moreover, Auburn hasn't played a schedule with seven cupcakes — it owns victories over Iowa State, North Carolina and Houston.
A couple of months ago, people probably didn't think Johni Broome would be the best player in this game, but he certainly is. The veteran forward is a front-runner for National Player of the Year while averaging 20.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.1 blocks per game.
Broome is also a different player compared to even last year. The 6-foot-10 forward is attempting over 3.4 perimeter jumpers per game, allowing Auburn to play a jumbo lineup with Dylan Cardwell at the five while Broome plays the four.
That pairing, which effectively eliminates scoring on the interior with the energy from 6-foot-7 wing Chad Baker-Mazara, gives the Tigers one of the highest defensive ceilings.
So, why is Auburn so much more reliable than the team that looked ripe for an upset in March's NCAA Tournament? The guard play is much better, which leads to Auburn posting the No. 1 offensive efficiency in college hoops.
Bruce Pearl has a solid rotation of ball-handlers with seniors JP Pegues and Denver Jones, while Tahaad Pettiford is the real X-factor with his elite scoring chops. Pettiford makes the most of his 19.9 minutes, posting 9.6 point sper game on 38% from 3.
Auburn is an outstanding team, but playing in Cameron is different than any other venue.
Duke Basketball
Duke has a pair of losses by a combined eight points to top-five-ranked Kansas and Kentucky. The Blue Devils will get another chance to unseat a top-five team in the country — this time in Durham.
Can these young Dukies respond?
I have some real reservations about Duke's point guard play. Jeremy Roach was much-maligned over the years, but he would be the perfect piece on this youthful squad.
Tyrese Proctor isn't the answer, as he thrives as a catch-and-shoot guy. Caleb Foster isn't it either, as he often looks out of place when running the show.
So, that leaves Cooper Flagg handling the ball as the best option. That's not a bad option, of course, as Flagg leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
But Flagg focuses on playmaking and scoring, leaving the 17-year-old with a fairly loaded plate.
Jon Scheyer could also use a big performance from his other future lottery pick, Kon Knueppel. The freshman from Wisconsin is just 13-of-45 from the field and 4-of-24 from 3 in Duke's games against Kansas, Arizona and Kentucky.
Some will point to Flagg's late-game blunders as the culprit for losing to Kentucky and Kansas, but Knueppel needs to play better. Flagg can't do everything alone and needs others to help out.
What makes the Blue Devils one of the top teams in the country? They have arguably the best defense in the sport.
Duke has an excellent formula for being an elite defense. It has a ton of size — each player in the rotation is 6-foot-4 or taller, which helps hold opponents 40% from 2-point range (fourth nationally) and 27% from 3 (27th nationally).
Plus, Duke has plenty of interior depth with vets Mason Gillis and Maliq Brown if Khaman Maluach gets in foul trouble.
There is no doubt Duke has enough offensive weapons to win this game, especially with how elite it is defensively.
Scheyer will need at least 50 points between Flagg, Proctor and Knueppel, but that's a real possibility.
Auburn vs. Duke Betting Analysis
Duke being the home team is a huge swing in the Blue Devils' favor. Playing in Cameron Indoor is an arduous task, but the 17-year-old Flagg defending Broome could be tougher.
Something has to give, so what will?
If Auburn didn't travel to Hawaii and win the Maui Invitational, perhaps I'd take the Tigers. But Colorado and Dayton — two teams who aren't in the same stratosphere as Auburn — came out sloppy in its first games back from Maui.
We can't ignore the intensity of the games Auburn played, the jet lag and other factors from the Feast Week festivities. Auburn got off the tracks slow against both Houston and Iowa State but led a furious comeback to win.
The crowd won't let Auburn get enough momentum to lead a double-digit comeback here.
Pick: Duke -2.5
