Duke Blue Devils vs Louisville Cardinals NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

The Blue Devils and Cardinals are set to face off at 6:00 ET on ACCN. The Cardinals will host the game at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY. In this Atlantic Coast matchup, Duke is favored bt -9.5 vs. Louisville. The over/under for the game is 144.5 points.

DUKE BLUE DEVILS VS LOUISVILLE CARDINALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Louisville Cardinals +9.5

This game will be played at KFC Yum! Center at 6:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Cardinals.
• Not only will Louisville pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +9.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Will the Duke Defense Show Up on the Road?

Duke improved to 6-2 on the season with an 84-78 win over Auburn on Wednesday. The Blue Devils, playing at home, were -3.5 favorites going into the game and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 162, surpassing the O/U line of 146.5.

Duke led 43-36 at halftime and scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. Though they didn’t tighten up defensively after the break, their offense was enough to secure the win.

Duke’s offense put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field and 40.9% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.6%, and they grabbed 12 offensive rebounds.

Isaiah Evans was a standout, hitting 6 of 8 threes for 18 points in just 16 minutes. Cooper Flagg had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, despite missing all 4 of his three-point attempts.

Duke’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 78 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed 29 field goals, including 20 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, where the opposing team shot 55%.

From beyond the arc, Duke’s opponents hit 9 of 22 three-point attempts, shooting 40%. Duke also sent them to the free-throw line 27 times, where they made 17, shooting 63%. Duke gave up 12 offensive rebounds.

Will the Cardinals Find a Way to Win at Home?

Louisville Cardinals Recent Game/Games

The Cardinals fell to 5-3 on the season after an 86-63 home loss to Ole Miss on Tuesday. Louisville, who entered the game as -3.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 40-31 at halftime, Louisville allowed 46 points in the 2nd half while scoring just 32. The total points for the game reached 149, falling short of the 152.5 O/U line.

Louisville struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 33.3% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc, hitting only 5 of their 30 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 38.6%, though they did manage to shoot 51.9% on two-point attempts.

At the free-throw line, the Cardinals went 20-for-30, shooting 66.7%. They grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and finished with 8 assists. Dre Davis led the team with 20 points, shooting 9-for-12 overall and 2-for-3 from three-point range.

Despite Louisville’s defensive efforts, they gave up 86 points, even while holding their opponent to just 33% shooting from the field. The Cardinals allowed 14 two-point baskets on 27 attempts, a 51% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Louisville’s defense limited their opponent to 5 threes on 30 attempts, just 16% shooting. However, they sent them to the free-throw line 30 times, where they made 20, shooting 66%. Louisville also allowed 17 offensive rebounds.