Red Raiders vs Blue Devils Betting & Odds: Texas Tech Opens As Slight Favorite

The No. 3-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders (27-9 SU, 22-14 ATS) are 5-3 SU and 2-6 ATS over their last eight games ahead of their West Region showdown against the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils (30-6, 18-15-3). Texas Tech will try to earn a spot in the Elite Eight by cashing in as a Red Raiders vs Blue Devils prediction on Thursday night.

Red Raiders vs Blue Devils Odds & Analysis

Sportsbook Odds

It was a bit surprising to see a team as popular as Duke open as a 1-point underdog as the higher seed, but early Red Raiders vs Blue Devils predictions and bets seemed to agree with the line, bumping Texas Tech up to a 1.5-point favorite. The total in this Sweet 16 matchup has remained the same since Sportsbook at 137 points. The UNDER is 4-2 in Texas Tech’s last six games.

Get the best Red Raiders vs Blue Devils odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

Texas Tech’s Defense Is Setting The Tone In March

The Red Raiders defense smothered the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a 59-53 win in the Round of 32 on Sunday. Kevin Obanor set the tone on both ends of the court, leading the Red Raiders in scoring with 15 points, offensive rebounds with seven and defensive rebounds with eight. Texas Tech moved to 4-1 SU over its last five games with the win but fell to 2-3 ATS over that stretch after failing to cover the spread as an 8-point favorite.

Defense has been the driving force for Texas Tech all season in 2021-22 as the squad ranks seventh in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 60.2 points per game. The Red Raiders have been even better in March with a paltry 56.2 points per game allowed through six games this month. Bettors taking Texas Tech as their Red Raiders vs Blue Devils prediction will be looking for another dominant performance in the backcourt on Thursday.

Duke Has Been A Solid Underdog Bet In Recent Seasons

The Blue Devils showed off some mental toughness in their 85-76 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday. After giving up an eight-point lead and falling down five points with only five minutes left in the game, Duke went on a 20-6 run down the stretch to seal the victory. Four different Blue Devils scored at least 15 points in this game with Paolo Banchero’s 19 points leading the pack.

Should the Blue Devils close as the underdog, it will be just the second time that they’ve done so this season. Duke won outright in its one other game as an underdog with an 84-81 victory over Gonzaga when the Bulldogs were 8.5-point favorites. The Blue Devils are 10-6 SU and 10-5-1 ATS in their last 16 games as an underdog.

Red Raiders vs Blue Devils Pick & Insights

Red Raiders: Keys To Cover

Virginia Tech managed to fluster Duke in the ACC championship game and went on to win that one 82-67. Texas Tech will be looking to do the same here, forcing Duke out of its comfort zone on offense to get the job done as a Red Raiders vs Blue Devils prediction.

Blue Devils: Keys To Cover

Duke’s offense has had some off-nights this season, but the Blue Devils still finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring with 80.3 points per game and were a powerhouse on offense far more often than they weren’t. This test against Texas Tech’s elite defense will show us just how good this Duke team is, and believers should happily take Duke as a Red Raiders vs Blue Devils pick getting underdog odds in this one.

Odds Shark’s Computer Red Raiders vs Blue Devils Prediction: Duke +1

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