Arizona (2-1) vs Duke (3-1)
November 22, 2024 at 10:30 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Arizona -1.5 / Duke -+1.5 — Over/Under: 156.5
The Duke Blue Devils and the Arizona Wildcats meet Friday in college basketball action from McKale Center. Here’s a Duke vs Arizona prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Duke vs Arizona pick. We will examine:
The Duke Blue Devils’ recent form and player performance
The Arizona Wildcats’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Duke Blue Devils
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Arizona Wildcats
Recent betting trends in games played between Duke and Arizona
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Duke vs Arizona game
Duke Blue Devils Betting Preview
Duke got off to a 2-0 start this year with a couple of sizable wins. The first came 96-62 over Maine in the opener, then the Blue Devils demolished Army 100-58. Game three was a tough one against Kentucky though, ending in a 77-72 loss.
The Blue Devils got back to business versus an overmatched Wofford team in their latest outing. Duke took a 51-14 edge into the break, then cruised on a 35-21 run for an 86-35 blowout finish. Tyrese Proctor topped the team with 15 points and three boards.
Arizona Wildcats Betting Preview
Over on the Arizona side, they’ve only played three games so far but also opened with a couple of big victories. The Wildcats crushed Canisius 93-64 in the opener, then took out Old Dominion in dominant fashion 102-44 on November 9.
Arizona took their first loss last Friday versus Wisconsin. After a 55-44 deficit in the first half, the Wildcats didn’t get any closer in a 103-88 defeat. Jaden Bradley was the leading team scorer with 22 points and six boards.
Why the Arizona Wildcats will win
- Arizona has won each of its last 19 games at McKale Memorial Center when playing with a rest advantage.
- Duke has lost three of its last four night games against AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Duke Blue Devils will win
- Duke has won 27 of its last 28 Friday night games against non-conference opponents.
Duke vs Arizona Prediction
I’m going to try Duke here. The Blue Devils have three blowout wins versus overmatched teams in the books so far, alongside a five-point loss to Kentucky. In that Kentucky game, Duke shot a tepid 39.4 percent from the field and a rough 16.7 percent (4-of-24) from 3-point range but they were pretty comparable everywhere else stats-wise. The Blue Devils should be able to hang if they’re playing well here, even in a road matchup.
As for Arizona, some of the wind came out of their proverbial sails with the 15-point loss to Wisconsin. The Wildcats were bad from outside in that one as well, with 17.4 percent (4-of-23) on 3-pointers. The 13 turnovers and measly six team assists didn’t help matters. Arizona dominated the boards, however, taking a 52-28 advantage (24-2 offensive). Duke is going to have to shoot a fairly high percentage on Friday, especially if Arizona stays aggressive on the glass. Should be a great game to watch regardless of who covers/wins, but I’m leaning toward Duke on paper at least.