Duke finds itself the NCAA Tournament favorite thanks to a combination of the team’s own play and several upsets removing some of the Blue Devils’ stiffest competition. History is also on Duke’s side for its Sweet 16 matchup with the Syracuse Orange on Friday, as Coach K’s team has won 53 of its last 58 games as a double-digit favorite. But if we have seen anything this March, it’s that history is made to be rewritten.
After Sportsbook the season with some seemingly lackadaisical play, Duke started playing up to its potential over the last six weeks. The Blue Devils have rolled through their first two games of the tournament, averaging 88 points while holding opponents to just 64.5 points per game. Marvin Bagley quietly has looked like the front-runner to win the Most Outstanding Player by averaging 22 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 75 percent from the floor. You’d like to see a little more efficiency from the guards but there is little to complain about if you’re a Duke fan.
Syracuse has proven that when its patented zone defense is running on full cylinders, then the Orange can win any game. Is it pretty? No. But Syracuse’s 2-3 zone has held Michigan State and TCU – two of the top 50 offenses in the country – to 53 and 52 points respectively. The same thing that we have always known to be true about Jim Boeheim’s defense has held true – it is beatable but you need to be hitting difficult shots. The Orange held Duke to just 60 points in their one meeting during the regular season but the offense could only muster 44 of its own.
Syracuse Orange vs Duke Blue Devils Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The 28-7 and 22-12 ATS Duke Blue Devils will face the 23-13 Syracuse Orange, who own a 17-17 ATS mark on the season. In totals betting, the Blue Devils are 18-16 on the OVER/UNDER so far this season while the Orange are 14-20.
The OddsShark Power Rankings have the Blue Devils at No. 28 and the Orange at No. 193 heading into this college basketball betting matchup.
Statistical Matchup
Scoring and defensive stats point to some betting edges in this matchup. The game features Duke's No. 5-ranked scoring average of 84.89 PPG, against a Syracuse defense rated No. 9 and allowing 63.64 PPG. The Blue Devils' FG% has averaged 49.63% to date this season, more than the Orange shooters have managed so far (41.51% per game).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Orange grabbed a 55-53 win over the Spartans on Sunday, behind a 17-point effort from Tyus Battle at Little Sportsbook Arena.
The battle between the Blue Devils and Rams didn't turn out to be much of a battle at all as Rhode Island was handed an 87-62 defeat on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.