Duke vs. Louisville Pick
Which ranked ACC team will fall below .500 in conference play when No. 14 Louisville hosts No. 7 Duke today at Noon ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Louisville is the favorite to win this game, as the Cardinals are getting odds of -4 points against Duke. The over/under total is currently listed at 145.5 points. Duke has won two of the last three in this series and is 2-0-1 against the spread in those three games.
Louisville has won its last two coming into today to get to 14-3 on the season and 2-2 in the ACC. The Cardinals are just 2-3 against the spread in their last five games and are 10-5 against the spread for the season. Louisville isn’t a great offensive team, averaging just 75.6 points per game, but that number shoots up to 80.2 at home. Defensively, the Cardinals are pretty stout, allowing only 61.9 points per contest while holding opponents to just 37 percent shooting. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 13.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game to lead the Cardinals.
Duke is coming off an 88-72 loss at Florida State on Tuesday to drop to 14-3 overall and 2-2 in the ACC. The Blue Devils are without Coach K due to his back surgery and continue to be without Amile Jefferson because of a foot injury. Jefferson puts up 13.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Duke enters today just 1-5 against the spread in its last six games and is now 7-9 against the spread on the season. The Blue Devils give up just 65.9 points per game on the season, but on the road, they are allowing 74 points per contest. Offensively, Duke is averaging 84.5 points per contest. Luke Kennard is leading the team with 20.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
NCAA BB Quick Links: Free Matchup Reports | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Scoreboard | Betting Trends
This is a big game for Duke, which has looked lost at times this season and is now dealing with a tough stretch without Coach K. The Blue Devils were clearly outmatched by Florida State, but now deal with a defensive-minded Louisville. Not having Jefferson on the floor will play a big role, as the Cardinals average 43 boards per game at home. I look for Louisville to dominate the glass and keep Duke from having multiple looks on offense. That should be enough to win and cover.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DAILY PREDICTION: LOUISVILLE -4
