Louisville vs Duke Odds, Pick
| Louisville Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+20.5 -110 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | +1450 |
| Duke Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-20.5 -120 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | -5000 |
The big story of the college basketball landscape surrounds the court-storming incident that occurred after the Duke vs. Wake Forest game on Saturday.
Blue Devils forward Kyle Filipowski suffered an injury after Demon Deacons fans rushed the floor after the matchup.
It's not worth discussing much further, considering everyone has an opinion. But I'll say there's an easy solution to the issue, which involves simple protocols for teams and arena security to follow.
Don't take away what makes college sports so unique compared to professional sports.
Whether you despise Duke or not, it's terrible to see a player get injured in an avoidable situation. It's unclear if Filipowski will play on Tuesday evening against Louisville, but I expect an angry Blue Devils team to seek vengeance.
Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals might as well pack it in for the rest of the year before the ACC Tournament. Nobody expected them to be a good basketball team, but their recent play lately indicates they've given up on the rest of the season.
Louisville is in trouble whether Filipowski plays or not, as it ranks just 232nd in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Offensively, there aren't many consistent shot-makers on the roster, and there's a reason Louisville ranks in the bottom half of the country in adjusted efficiency. It's an abysmal 319th in 3-point percentage and 270th in effective field-goal percentage.
The Blue Devils struggle defensively inside the arc, but that's an area the Cards won't be able to exploit. Kenny Payne has given his younger players more run lately, and they have yet to show much promise.
It's a disastrous situational spot for the Cardinals, and I believe the team has quit. I wouldn't want to sit on their bench on Wednesday night with the Cameron Crazies expecting to be in rare form.
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Duke Blue Devils
This could not be a better spot for the Blue Devils. Even after dealing with the court-storming incident, it was tough for this team to lose on the road to the Demon Deacons.
Duke played a great basketball game, but its offense came up short against a solid Wake team. Now, this team out for blood, and luckily for the Blue Devils, their opponents on Wednesday will be in red.
Despite the loss, the Dukies rank top-25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They have a terrific matchup on the offensive end, where they should be able to score at will all over the floor.
In the last matchup between these teams on Jan. 23, the Blue Devils won by 14, which was a push for most bettors. But the Cards were playing better basketball at that point in the season.
Duke will miss Filipowski if he doesn't suit up, but Mark Mitchell and Sean Stewart can fill that void inside. Guard Jeremy Roach has also been scorching hot from 3 all season, shooting 47% from deep.
Guards Caleb Foster and Jared McCain have also been excellent from the outside, shooting above 40% from deep. The Blue Devils should make it rain from deep or consistently pound the interior against a pathetic Cardinals defense.
Defensively, the Duke needs to improve inside the arc, but that won't play a factor in the matchup. I expect domination from the Blue Devils from the opening tip.
Louisville vs Duke
Betting Pick & Prediction
The Blue Devils are pissed off after Saturday, and rightfully so. They lost a close basketball game and potentially lost their star player due to the postgame shenanigans.
This matchup against Louisville couldn't have come at a better time for Duke. The Blue Devils match up extremely well with the Cardinals, so this game is going to get ugly — and I expect it to happen rather quickly.
I love Duke in the smash spot of the night. I'll happily lay any number that the market is offering.
