Duke Blue Devils vs SMU Mustangs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25
Planning on watching today’s Blue Devils and Mustangs game? Catch the action at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX, as the Mustangs hosts this showdown at 2:15 ET on CW. In this Atlantic Coast matchup, Duke is favored bt -7.5 vs. SMU. The over/under for the game is 148.5 points.
DUKE BLUE DEVILS VS SMU MUSTANGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: SMU Mustangs +7.5
This game will be played at Moody Coliseum at 2:15 ET on Saturday, January 4th.
WHY BET THE SMU MUSTANGS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Mustangs.
- Not only will SMU pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +7.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 148.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.
Will the Blue Devils Win in Dallas?
Duke improved to 11-2 on the season with an 88-65 win over Virginia Tech on Tuesday. The Blue Devils were heavy favorites at -25.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 153, surpassing the O/U line of 136.5.
Duke led 37-27 at halftime and pulled away in the 2nd half, scoring 51 points while allowing 38.
Duke’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 88 points with a field goal percentage of 53.4%. Their effective field goal percentage was even more impressive at 62.1%, thanks to a 69% shooting effort from inside the arc (20/29) and an 11-for-29 performance from three-point range (37.9%). They were perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 15 attempts.
Cooper Flagg led the way with 24 points and 6 assists, shooting 64.3% from the field and 50% from deep. Toibu Lawal added 19 points in just 22 minutes, hitting 77.8% of his shots and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Duke also dished out 19 assists as a team, with 10 offensive rebounds.
Even with Duke allowing 65 points, their defense struggled, giving up 53% shooting from the field. The Blue Devils couldn’t contain the inside game, as the opposing team hit 69% of their two-point attempts, going 20/29.
From beyond the arc, Duke allowed 11 threes on 29 attempts, a 37% shooting rate. The Blue Devils also sent the other team to the line 15 times, where they converted every free throw. Duke gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.
Will the Mustangs Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?
SMU Mustangs Recent Game/Games
SMU improved to 11-2 on the season with a 98-82 win over Longwood on Sunday. The Mustangs were heavy favorites at -18.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 180, surpassing the over/under line of 153.5.
SMU led 45-43 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, outscoring Longwood 53-39.
SMU’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 98 points with a field goal percentage of 62% and an effective field goal percentage of 72%. They hit 50% from beyond the arc, knocking down 10 threes, and were also strong from the free-throw line, converting 83.9% of their attempts.
Boopie Miller led the way, shooting 85.7% from the field and dishing out 7 assists. Colby Garland added 11 assists to go along with his 19 points, while Yohan Traore and Elijah Tucker each contributed 20 points, with Traore also grabbing 11 rebounds.
SMU’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 82 points on 62% shooting from the field. The Mustangs allowed their opponent to hit 70% of their two-point attempts, going 21/30 inside the arc.
From three-point range, SMU’s opponent shot 50%, knocking down 10 of 20 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 31 times, where they converted 26 free throws at an 83% clip.