Sweet 16 action rolls on Thursday with four quality matchups. Arguably the most intriguing game of all will go down at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The No. 2 seed will take on the No. 3 seed in West Regional play. Duke will take on Texas Tech in a true heavyweight matchup.
Despite the seeding, the oddsmakers over at BetOnline actually like the lower seed in this one. Texas Tech is a one-point favorite over Duke, per the latest odds.
Duke Blue Devils
Given Mike Kyrzyzewski’s stellar track record, it’s admittedly jarring to see the Blue Devils listed as underdogs in this one. Duke has won five national titles during Coach K’s remarkable run. Now, in his final year as head coach, the team is looking to add a sixth ring to his collection before he hangs it up.
The Blue Devils haven’t advanced as far as the Final Four since their national championship season back in 2015. They have made three Elite 8 appearances in that time, however, and this will be the program’s fourth trip to the Sweet 16 since winning it all. Duke missed out on postseason play altogether last year for the first time since the 1994-95 campaign.
This year’s squad bounced back to finish 30-6 and first in the ACC during the regular season. However, the Blue Devils were upset by Virginia Tech in the conference tournament title game. Before their gritty nine-point win over Michigan State in the last round, the Blue Devils had no issue getting past Cal State Fullerton in the round-of-64, 78-61.
The Seattle product is averaging 17 points and nearly eight rebounds per game this season, and his polished offensive game will prove difficult for Texas Tech to defend. Banchero was the driving force behind Duke’s come-from-behind win in the last round, as he posted 19 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a stellar all-around effort.
Duke is a relatively underwhelming 18-16-2 against the spread overall this season. However, they did cover in their lone game as a betting underdog.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech is a veteran team with experience playing deep into March. Tech has been a consistent tournament team over the past handful of years, and they’ve looked no worse for the wear since losing Beard to Texas last summer.
The Red Raiders finished the season 27-9, which is an impressive mark in a conference as laden with talent as the Big 12. That was still only good for third place in the conference behind Kansas and Baylor, but they’ve spent the entire season tangling with some of the nation’s best teams. A matchup against Duke won’t phase them one bit, as a result.
Bryson Williams is the key to the Red Raiders’ offense. He led the team with an average of 13.9 points per game this season. Williams scored 20 points in the easy win over Montana State before putting 14 points on the board last time out in the tough win over Notre Dame.
Tech’s defense is the reason they’re here. The Red Raiders are holding their foes to just over 60 points per game, which is the No. 1 mark in the nation. Tech also forces nearly 16 turnovers per game.
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Duke Blue Devils March Madness Game Pick
As evidnced by the tight one-point spread, this game could legitimately go either way. Duke is the team with a much more decorated NCAA Tournament history, but Texas Tech’s stingy defense will prove to be quite a test for the Blue Devils.
We don’t often see Duke as an underdog. It’s only happened once all year, which makes the value on the Blue Devils’ -102 moneyline odds really stand out. Take Duke to win this one straight-up despite their underdog status.
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Duke Blue Devils Betting Recap
- Moneyline: Texas Tech -118, Duke -102
- Point Spread: Texas Tech -1 (-110), Duke +1 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 137 points (-110), Under 137 points (-110)
- Pick: Duke Blue Devils (-102)
