Finishing as the #1 team in the country in college basketball is certainly a fantastic accomplishment, but it does not come with any guarantee of success in the tournament. This is true of every sport, as we routinely see the top teams fall along the way and fail to make it all the way to the title game. In college basketball, what finishing at or near the top does deliver is a potentially smoother passage through the playoffs. Securing a #1 seed in one of the four regional brackets once March Madness begins gives those teams a bit of a leg up against the competition on their side of the bracket.
With most teams still having 7 or 8 games left to play this regular season, we are still a long way from knowing who will land in that coveted #1 spot. That said, the Duke Blue Devils are making a serious bid for the top spot and will look to continue their charge when they go on the road to face the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday night. Duke is in as an 8.5-point favorite, with the point total set at 151.
Duke at Louisville NCAA Basketball Odds & Prediction
GAMEDAY. Another big road opportunity in America’s toughest league.
🏀 Duke at Louisville ⏰ 9:00 PM 📍KFC Yum! Center 📺 ESPN#HereComesDuke ⚪️😈💼 pic.twitter.com/D1QvJHcJ5S — Duke Basketball (@DukeMBB) 12 de febrero de 2019
- When: Tuesday, February 12 at 9 PM EST
- Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville
- TV: ESPN
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
- NCAA Basketball Odds: Duke Blue Devils -8.5 (Total 152.5)
How to Bet 2019 March Madness Tournament
Why bet on the Duke Blue Devils?
The Duke Blue Devils are currently occupying the #2 spot in the national rankings, but there are certainly a lot of pundits and basketball fans out there who believe that they are the best team in the country and the one most likely to hoist the national championship trophy this season. Duke is 20-2 on the season and appear to be getting stronger as the season progresses.
They are on a 7-game winning streak coming into this one, with their latest victory being an impressive 10-point win on the road at #3 Virginia. The Blue Devils have covered the spread in 4 straight games, as well as 5 of their last 6, and they are also 4-2 SU in their last 6 meetings with Louisville. Duke is 13-8 ATS as a favorite this season, which includes being 3-1 ATS as the road favorite.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 86.78
- Field Goal Percentage: 48.90
- Three-Point Percentage: 31.96
- Free Throw Percentage: 67.68
- Total Rebounds: 42.22
Defense
- Total Score: 65.48
- Field Goal Percentage: 38.58
- Three-Point Percentage: 29.47
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.28
- Total Rebounds: 35.17
Why bet on the Louisville Cardinals?
The Louisville Cardinals are beginning to see their stock fall a little, as a run that has seen them lose 2 of their last 3 games has dropped them down to the #16 seed. This has still been a decent year for the Cardinal, who are 17-7 overall and an impressive 8-3 in conference play. Given the cutthroat nature of the ACC and the quality of the teams therein, that conference record is more impressive than it may seem at first glance.
They are just a game and a half back of Duke at the top, so you understand how a win here could help propel the Cardinals back up the standings in conference play, as well as in the national rankings. The Cardinals are 6-6-2 ATS at home, but just 1-2 ATS as a home underdog.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 78.62
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.72
- Three-Point Percentage: 36.55
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.68
- Total Rebounds: 37.54
Defense
- Total Score: 68.46
- Field Goal Percentage: 41.28
- Three-Point Percentage: 32.42
- Free Throw Percentage: 68.83
- Total Rebounds: 33.38
Handicapping Tips for the 2019 College Basketball Championship
Duke at Louisville NCAA Basketball Betting Trends
- Duke is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
- Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Duke’s last 6 games
- Louisville is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Duke
- Louisville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Duke
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Louisville’s last 6 games when playing Duke
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction for Duke at Louisville
It’s never easy to go on the road and get a win against a conference foe, especially one that is ranked, but as Duke Proved against the Virginia Cavaliers over the weekend, they are more than capable of doing so.
Score: Duke Blue Devils 79 – Louisville Cardinals 69
