Download App
The No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (26-8) ready for a Sweet 16 matchup against the No. 1 Houston Cougars (32-4) on Friday at 9:39 PM ET as the NCAA Tournament continues live from American Airlines Center and airing on CBS.
Houston is a 4.5-point favorite against Duke when the Cougars take on the Blue Devils on Friday. The matchup has a point total of 133.5.
Houston vs. Duke Odds
Point Spread for Houston vs. Duke
The spread for this matchup is set at 4.5 points, with bookmakers listing Houston as the favorite.
Houston vs. Duke Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Houston has -218 odds to pick up the win, while Duke is listed at +180 to claim victory.
Houston vs. Duke Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 133.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Friday, March 29, 2024
- Game Time: 9:39 PM ET
- TV Channel: CBS
- Location: Lake Dallas, Texas
- Arena: American Airlines Center
Houston vs. Duke Betting Trends
Houston is 17-17-2 against the spread this season. The Cougars have come away with 23 wins in the 27 contests they have been listed as the moneyline favorites in this season. Houston has eclipsed the over/under in 47.1% of its opportunities this year (16 times over 34 games with a set point total).
Against the spread, Duke is 20-13-1 this year. The Blue Devils have been listed as the moneyline underdog just two other times so far this season, and they lost both games. Duke has hit the over 38.2% of the time this year (13 of 34 games with a set point total).
Houston vs. Duke Key Players to Watch
Houston
Jamal Shead paces his team in assists per game (6.4), and also puts up 13.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. At the other end, he averages 2.2 steals and 0.5 blocked shots. J’wan Roberts paces the Cougars at 6.8 rebounds per game, while also averaging 1.9 assists and 9.4 points. LJ Cryer paces his team in points per game (15.5), and also posts 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Defensively, he averages 1.1 steals and 0.1 blocked shots. Emanuel Sharp puts up 12.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game, shooting 37.5% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc with 2.3 made 3-pointers per contest.
Duke
Kyle Filipowski is the Blue Devils’ top scorer (16.6 points per game) and rebounder (8.1), and produces 2.9 assists. Jared McCain is averaging 14.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest, making 46.5% of his shots from the floor and 41.5% from 3-point range, with 2.4 triples per game. Jeremy Roach gets the Blue Devils 14.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He also puts up 1.1 steals and 0.1 blocked shots. The Blue Devils get 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game from Mark Mitchell.
What you need to know about the Houston Cougars
The Cougars own a top-25 defense this season, ranking best in college basketball with 57.7 points allowed per game. Offensively, they rank 155th with 74.1 points scored per contest. Houston has been shining when it comes to rebounding this season, ranking best in college basketball in boards per game () and best in rebounds allowed per contest ().
Houston ranks 127th in college basketball with 7.9 three-pointers per game this season. Meanwhile, it ranks 129th with a 34.9% shooting percentage from three-point land. The Cougars are ceding 6.1 three-pointers per game this season (60th-ranked in college basketball), and they are allowing a 30.0% three-point percentage (11th-best).
The Cougars have a 5-5 record against the spread while going 9-1 overall in their past 10 games. In its past 10 contests, Houston has hit the over five times. Houston’s offense has been improved over its last 10 games, scoring 74.8 points per contest compared to the 74.1 it has averaged this year. Houston’s defense has been less stingy as of late, as the team has allowed 63.9 points per game over its past 10 compared to the 57.7 points per game its opponents average on the season.
What you need to know about the Duke Blue Devils
With 79.8 points scored per game and 66.5 points allowed, the Blue Devils are 42nd in the country offensively and 30th defensively. In 2023-24, Duke is best in college basketball in rebounds ( per game) and best in rebounds conceded ().
Beyond the arc, Duke is 80th in college basketball in 3-pointers made per game (8.4). It is 12th-best in 3-point percentage at 38.1%. Giving up 6.5 3-pointers per game and conceding 32.1% from downtown, the Blue Devils are 110th and 71st in college basketball, respectively, in those categories.
The Blue Devils have gone 7-3 in their last 10 contests, with a 7-3 record against the spread during that span. In Duke’s past 10 games, it has gone over the total twice. In its past 10 games, Duke is averaging 78.0 points per game, 1.8 fewer points than its season average (79.8). The Blue Devils have performed better defensively in their past 10 games, allowing 63.6 points per contest, 2.9 fewer points than their season average of 66.5 allowed.
Houston vs. Duke Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this matchup is Houston, and we predict that Duke will cover the spread (Houston -4.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 133.5 points.
How to bet Houston vs. Duke
You can bet on Houston vs. Duke at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
And if you wanted to check out how much you could win on a $10 bet if you parlayed today’s Houston vs. Duke picks, don’t forget to check out our free parlay calculator.
Not sure what a parlay is? Or even how to bet on college basketball? Check out our complete guide to sports betting.