Duke vs Notre Dame Odds
| Duke Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -110 | 133.5 -110o / -110u | -1600 |
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14.5 -110 | 133.5 -110o / -110u | +900 |
We head out to South Bend, Indiana, for an ACC Saturday night clash. The Duke Blue Devils will look to continue their winning ways as they head to the Joyce Center to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Jon Scheyer's Blue Devils have won five games in a row, as they've seemingly turned a corner since their December two-game skid against Arkansas and Georgia Tech. Meanwhile, Micah Shrewsberry's Fighting Irish have looked competent at times this season, but are still one of the worst teams in the conference.
Duke Blue Devils
A lot of Blue Devils fans were calling for Scheyer's job about a month ago, but ever since their recent winning streak, those rumblings seem to have disappeared. Once again, this appears to be a team with the potential to make a Final Four run.
I love the balance of this Duke team, as it is top 25 in both defensive and offensive efficiency. It's nearly impossible to make a deep NCAA Tournament run without balance, which doesn't seem to be an issue for the Blue Devils.
For this matchup, it's not shocking that Duke has massive advantages on both sides of the ball. However, the offense might struggle in this game.
The Fighting Irish are an underrated defensive team and rank 64th in opposing FG% allowed. I don't expect Duke to win the rebound battle in this game either, as the Fighting Irish do an excellent job of crashing the defensive glass. However, the Blue Devils are talented enough to overcome those deficiencies.
It may not look pretty at times, but the backcourt duo of Jared McCain and Jeremy Roach has been lethal. There's not a doubt in my mind that the Blue Devils exit South Bend with a victory, but the question remains how their offense will look throughout this contest.
Ready to get in on the Duke betting action in North Carolina? You’ll soon be able to join in on NC sports betting, as the state is expected to come online in 2024.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's defense is its lone path to victory in this game.
The Fighting Irish rank in the bottom half in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, and are 285th in effective FG% (47%). They're shooting an abysmal 28% from deep and turn the ball over consistently.
I understand the identity Shrewsberry is trying to establish, but for that to be effective you need to have a somewhat competent offense. This is a snail's paced offense, which makes sense for a defensive-minded squad.
I'm having a very difficult time envisioning points for the Fighting Irish in this game. While Notre Dame is inside the top 40 in 3-point attempts per game, it has been awful shooting from deep.
The Fighting Irish are a solid defensive rebounding team, but they're about middle of the pack in offensive rebounding, which the Blue Devils do a terrific job at preventing. I like the direction of this team in the future, but this is not the matchup that it will suddenly turn things around.
Duke vs. Notre Dame
Betting Pick & Prediction
The only way to play this game is the under, and I have a really strong feeling about it.
Yes, the Blue Devils are much more talented, but I think the Fighting Irish defense is underrated. Notre Dame should be able to stifle Duke from exploding on offense, and once its offense has the ball, it will slow the game way down.
We could be in trouble if the Fighting Irish continue their turnover-prone ways, but regardless I can't see them putting up an offensive fight in this matchup. Both of these teams are relatively thin rotation-wise, so that should also play into our favor.
This is an under play all of the way. I'd even expect a juiced-up crowd in South Bend to fuel this defense early on.
