Duke Blue Devils vs Arizona Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/22/24
Looking to win big? The Blue Devils and Wildcats face off at 10:30 ET on ESPN2. The Wildcats are hosting the game at McKale Center in Tucson, AZ. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 160.5 points, and Arizona is favored by -1.5 at home against Duke.
DUKE BLUE DEVILS VS ARIZONA WILDCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Duke Blue Devils +1.5
This game will be played at McKale Center at 10:30 ET on Friday, November 22nd.
WHY BET THE DUKE BLUE DEVILS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Wildcats.
- Even though we have Arizona winning straight-up, we like Duke at +1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 160.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Do the Blue Devils Have What it Takes in Tucson?
Duke cruised to an 86-35 win over Wofford on Saturday, November 16th. Playing at home, the Blue Devils were -29 favorites and covered the spread with ease. The game’s total points were 121, falling well short of the 148.5 O/U line.
Duke dominated early, leading 51-14 at halftime. They added 35 points in the 2nd half while holding Wofford to 21 points after the break.
Duke’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points with a field goal percentage of 48.4%. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 61.3%, thanks to hitting 16 threes at a 42.1% clip and shooting 58.3% from two-point range.
The Blue Devils also excelled at the free-throw line, knocking down 10 of 11 attempts for 90.9%. They dished out 24 assists and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds. Tyrese Proctor led the way with 15 points, hitting 4 of 7 from deep, while Caleb Foster connected on 3 of 4 threes, finishing with 13 points.
Despite Duke’s defensive efforts, they couldn’t contain their opponent, who scored 35 points while shooting 48% from the field. Duke allowed 16 three-pointers on 38 attempts, with their opponent hitting 42% from beyond the arc.
The Blue Devils also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 11 times, where they converted 10 of those attempts, shooting 90%. Duke gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.
Do the Wildcats Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?
Arizona’s season took a hit with a 103-88 loss to Wisconsin on Friday. The Wildcats were -4.5 favorites going into the game but couldn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game ended up at 191, well over the pre-game O/U line of 152.
Arizona trailed 55-44 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 44 points while allowing 48. Defensive issues continue to be a concern for the Wildcats.
Arizona put up 88 points in their last game, despite shooting just 37.8% from the field and 17.4% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 40.5%, but they made up for it by hitting 28 free throws at a 70% clip and grabbing 24 offensive rebounds.
John Tonje led the way with 41 points, hitting 4 of 6 threes and shooting 57.1% overall. Jaden Bradley added 22 points, while Trey Townsend contributed 17 points on 60% shooting.
Arizona’s defense struggled, giving up 103 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 48% from the field, including 52% on two-point attempts. They also gave up 12 threes on 27 attempts, a 44% success rate.
Even with just 2 offensive rebounds allowed, Arizona sent their opponent to the line 47 times, where they converted 41 free throws, shooting 87%.