Blue Devils vs. Spartans Prediction
The 10th-ranked Duke Blue Devils will face the 11th-ranked Michigan State Spartans tonight in a high-profile ACC/Big Ten Challenge showdown. Can MSU fend off the opposition as the favorites in the matchup?
Game Snapshot
797 Duke Blue Devils at 798 Michigan State Spartans
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Breslin Center at 9:30PM ET
TV: ESPN
Compare odds from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our NCAA Basketball Odds & Betting Page
According to oddsmakers, the Spartans are a 6.5-point favorite on the spread line. The total is set at 147 points. As of Tuesday morning, 75 percent of public bets are pouring in on visiting Duke. Check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for the latest information.
Blue Devils handle Eagles
Duke earned n 83-70 home win Friday night over Winthrop to bounce back from a shocking defeat the game before.The Blue Devils (7-1, 4-1 home) led 42-35 at halftime and continued to pull away after the break. Matthew Hurt led Duke with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting including 2-of-4 from 3-point distance plus 4-of-6 at the free throw line. He also recorded eight rebounds and two assists. Vernon Carey Jr. accounted for 17 points and 10 boards. Joey Baker racked up 16 points in 23 minutes of action off the bench. Tre Jones added 15 points, six assists, five caroms and three steals.
Spartans finish Maui Invitational with win
Michigan State completed its stay at the Maui Invitational Wednesday with a 75-62 win over UCLA. The Spartans (5-2) outscored the Bruins 49-39 in the second half to pull away. Cassius Winston led MSU with 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting including 3-of-8 from 3-point range plus 3-of-3 at the free throw line. He also accounted for four assists and two rebounds. Xavier Tillman contributed 14 points, seven boards, three blocked shots and two assists. Rocket Watts added 12 points and two rebounds.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Duke
The Blue Devils are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games versus the Big Ten. Duke is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall.
Michigan State
The Spartans are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall. Michigan State is 18-8 ATS in its last 26 home games.
Prediction:
Michigan State has had plenty of time to prepare since returning from Maui, but something seems a touch off with the Spartans that makes me hesitate to lay the points here. Winston has been dealing with personal tragedy and Tillman has not quite been at his best, while the role players are still trying to fit in. Duke has its own issues as well, but the spread seems wide enough for me to rather look the Blue Devils’ way. As long as Jones and Carey Jr. are on their game, I like Duke’s chances here. At the very least, there is a nice cushion even if MSU does carve out a straight up win.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DAILY PREDICTION: DUKE BLUE DEVILS +6.5