It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Duke-Arizona prediction and pick. Arizona lost a tough game the last time they played against Wisconsin, while Duke managed to recover against Wofford after losing to Kentucky previously.
Arizona is 2-1 this season after wins against Canisius and Old Dominion, but they lost to Wisconsin in their last game. Arizona has a lot of talent this season but faces a massive challenge in a new conference. The backcourt between Caleb Love and Jaden Bradley is the key for the Wildcats. They struggled last game and lost the free throw battle. They make this offense go and will be the difference against the Blue Devils.
Duke is 3-1 entering this game with wins against Maine, Army, and Wofford, but they also lost in a huge game against Kentucky. They have so much talent and it starts with Cooper Flagg, but Kon Kneuppel has also been a huge key with these two being a dynamic duo as a freshman. They will be relied on the most this season and in this game against Arizona, they are the two keys in a massive game in a tough environment in Tucson.
Here are the Duke-Arizona College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Duke-Arizona Odds
Duke: +1.5 (-112)
Moneyline: -102
Arizona: -1.5 (-108)
Moneyline: -122
Over: 159.5 (-110)
Under: 159.5 (-110)
How to Watch Duke vs. Arizona
Time: 10:30 pm ET/7:30 pm PT
TV: ESPN2
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Duke Will Cover The Spread/Win
Duke’s offense has been a massive X-factor this season thanks to their influx of new talent. They are scoring 88.5 points per game, have a 47.9% field goal percentage, and a 37.2% three-point shooting percentage. Three Badgers are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Coope Flagg leading at 16.3 points per game. Flagg also leads the team in assists at four per game. The Duke offense goes through Cooper Flagg, whether he is down low or on the wing. Flagg might be the best player in college basketball and he is going to be a nightmare for Arizona to defend in this matchup.
The Blue Devils’ defense has been great to start the year. They allow 58 points per game, 33.6% from the field and 25.7% from behind the arc. Cooper Flagg has been nearly as good on defense as he has on offense this year. He leads the team in rebounds at 9.5 per game, in blocks at 1.8 per game, and in steals at two per game. Three Blue Devils average at least one block per game, and then seven Blue Devils also average at least one steal per game. The Blue Devils have their X-factor in Cooper Flagg and he changes the way this defense operates he will be key against an Arizona team that loves to get up and down and score.
Why Arizona Will Cover The Spread/Win
Arizona was great on offense last season as the best in the Pac-12 and they have started as one of the best in the Big 12. They are scoring 94.3 points per game, have a field goal percentage of 45.6%, and have a three-point percentage of 27.4%. This season, four Wildcats are averaging over double digits, with Jaden Bradley leading at 14.7 points per game. Then, Caleb Love leads in assists at three per game. The Wildcats go as this backcourt goes between both Bradley and Love. Offense is the calling card of Tommy Lloyd teams and they are going to need as much help on offense as possible in this game against the Blue Devils.
Arizona’s defense has been inconsistent this season and they did not look good in their last game against Wisconsin. They allow 70.3 points per game, 40.6% from the field, and 34.8% from behind the arc. Tobe Awaka has been a beast down low, leading the team in rebounds at 12.3 per game. Then, three players average at least one block per game, and KJ Lewis leads the way at 1.3. Four different Wildcats are averaging at least one steal per game, with Jaden Bradley leading at two. The Wildcats made a point to improve their defense entering this season, and it has not materialized just yet. This could be a massive moment for them to show up on that side of the court.
Final Duke-Arizona Prediction & Pick
These teams are extremely closely matched up. Duke might even be more talented than Arizona. However, the difference is Arizona at home. McKale Center is an underrated environment in college basketball and that will affect this game. I think the backcourt of Jaden Bradley and Caleb Love is going to carry Arizona to this win. Love knows all about Duke and should be a Duke killer once again. Arizona wins and covers at home in a huge win.
Final Duke-Arizona Prediction & Pick: Arizona -1.5 (-108)
The post Duke vs. Arizona prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball appeared first on ClutchPoints.
