Alabama vs Duke Picks, Predictions & Finest Bets

• The Duke Blue Devils are 7.5-point favorites over the Alabama Crimson Tide in Saturday’s Elite Eight motion
• Alabama is primary in factors per sport, whereas Duke is first in offensive score
• See my Alabama vs Duke picks, predictions and finest bets beneath

There’s a powerful likelihood that the Alabama (28-8) vs Duke (34-3) Elite Eight matchup on Saturday is the very best sport we’ll see all match. We’ve acquired the 2 finest offenses going head-to-head, with a great deal of celebrity expertise on each side.

On-line sportsbooks are extraordinarily bullish on the Blue Devils, making them heavy chalk within the faculty basketball odds. That goes towards my prediction and finest wager as you’ll see, however the Duke love is actually comprehensible.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:49pm ET on the Prudential Middle, in Newark, NJ, with TBS offering the published protection.

Alabama vs Duke Picks and Predictions

My prediction is that this sport winds up ending a lot nearer than the chances counsel. I’m not able to lock the Crimson Tide into the Last 4 odds simply but, however I consider their offense goes to offer Duke suits.

Alabama averages a university hoops-best 91.4 factors per sport. They’re sixth in efficient area purpose proportion, seventh in made threes, and primary in complete rebounding. Their rebounding prowess provides them a great deal of second-chance alternatives, and if there’s one factor we’ve discovered concerning the Tide, it’s that they don’t miss twice.

That truth was on show of their Candy 16 record-setting efficiency vs BYU. Alabama made an NCAA Match file 25 threes. There are applications that go 5 video games with out making that many triples. Star guard Mark Sears led the way in which with 10 threes, whereas Aden Holloway buried six, and Chris Youngblood drained rive. How assured is Alabama proper now? Holloway considers an uncontested three as surefire as a layup.

The Tide shot 53% from the sphere and 49% from three en path to 113 factors towards the Cougars. They’ve received all three match video games by 9+ factors, averaging over 90 factors per outing. Solely crew has held them beneath 80 factors since January 18th, and so they’ve eclipsed 100 factors seven instances this calendar yr.

If there’s a priority, it’s the protection. Alabama ranks bottom-20 within the nation in scoring protection. Most of that nevertheless, is because of the tempo they play at. They really grade out twenty seventh in defensive score, holding enemy shooters to 42.3% from the sphere.

Alabama vs Duke Stats

Enjoying within the SEC, additionally exposes them to high-quality offenses just like the one Duke possesses. The Blue Devils are first in offensive effectivity, and ninth in factors per sport. Duke’s averaged 94 factors in three Match video games, holding down the highest spot within the March Insanity championship odds.

The Blue Devils are contemporary off a 100-point outburst of their very own, taking down Arizona by 7 factors within the Candy 16. Future primary choose Cooper Flagg led the cost, racking up a 30 factors, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and three blocks stat line. Flagg wowed the group with excessive flying dunks, swats into the second row and half-court threes.

The victory places them a win away from their 18th Last 4, and first since 2022. Duke has been generally known as an elite crew at each ends all season. Their offense lived as much as the rep on Thursday, however the protection sprung some leaks. Arizona shot 46% towards the Blue Devils, and 47% from three.

Caleb Love, who profiles much like Sears, put up 35 factors, together with 5 triples. Sometimes to be able to beat Duke, it’s important to shoot the lights out from three. Their inside is stacked with measurement and rim protectors, however they’ve proven vulnerability alongside the perimeter. The Wildcats uncovered that, and so they’re nowhere close to the offense that Bama is.

Alabama vs Duke Finest Bets

• Alabama +7.5 (-115) at DraftKings

Which makes Alabama +7.5 my finest wager. Am I involved about their protection? After all. It could shock nobody in the event that they surrendered 90+ factors to this ultra-talented Blue Devils crew. What I’m not involved about is the Tide’s means to punch again.

Alabama has put up ridiculous totals on practically everybody they’ve confronted this yr. In opposition to the very best convention in faculty hoops, they averaged 92.1 factors per outing, with a 49% area purpose proportion. They beat Auburn, and Kentucky twice in league play, whereas placing up 94 factors in a detailed loss to Florida. In addition they beat one of many different 1-seeds Houston earlier within the season.

Alabama vs Duke Odds

One of the best worth we are able to discover on Alabama +7.5 is -115 at DraftKings. The Tide is +250 on the moneyline, with Duke coming again as a -310 favourite. The entire at the moment sits at 173.5, a quantity each groups flew over of their most up-to-date video games.

Odds as of March 28 at DraftKings. See the total record of DraftKings authorized states.

Per the faculty basketball public betting tendencies, Alabama is 6-2 towards the unfold as an underdog this season, beating the quantity by a mean of 4.8 factors per sport.