The Blue Devils and Cougars are set to face off at 9:39 ET on CBS. The Cougars will host the game at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. The Bookmaker has the over/under line for this matchup is currently at 134.5 points, and Houston is favored by -4 at home against Duke.

Can the Blue Devils Pull the Upset on the Road?

After winning their last game against James Madison by a score of 93-55, the Duke Blue Devils are 26-8 overall and 14-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. On the road this season, the Blue Devils are 7-4, and they have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games away from home.

As the underdog, Duke is 0-2 this season, and they have been the favorite in 31 of their 34 games, going 25-6 in those contests. So far, the Blue Devils have a scoring differential of +6.5 on the road, and their average scoring margin at home is +16.3.

As the underdog this season, Duke has gone 0-2 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Blue Devils have a mark of 3-7 vs. the spread. On the road, Duke has an ATS record of 5-6 this year.

This season, the over/under record for Duke games is 14-18-1, and today’s line of 134.5 is lower than the average OU line in their games (146.3). So far, 29 of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 133 points.

Duke’s offense is coming off a strong performance vs. James Madison, finishing the game with a total of 93 points. Their season average is now 79.8 points per game. Jared McCain led the scoring for the Blue Devils, contributing 30 points. Additionally, Tyrese Proctor chipped in with 18 points.

Currently, the Blue Devils’ defense holds the 36th rank in the nation, allowing 66.5 points per game. The Duke defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 55 points and allowed James Madison to connect on 14 threes.

  • Jeremy Roach (Questionable) Finger
  • Jaylen Blakes (Questionable) Undisclosed
  • Christian Reeves (Out) Ankle
  • Jaden Schutt (Out) Redshirt
  • Caleb Foster (Out) Foot

Will the Cougars Live Up to Expectations at Home?

With a record of 32-4, the Houston Cougars have been dominant all season long. They have been especially tough at home, going 23-1, and they have won their last two games. On the year, they have been favored in 35 of their 36 games, and they have gone 32-3 in those contests.

Coming off a 100-95 win over Texas A&M, the Cougars have gone 9-1 in their last 10 games at home. For the season, they have outscored their opponents by an average of 23.5 points per game at home, compared to just +2.8 on the road.

As the favorite this season, Houston has gone 18-15-2 against the spread. At home, the Cougars’ ATS record is 15-8-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, Houston has gone 5-5 vs. the spread.

This season, the over/under record for Houston games is 17-19, and today’s line of 134.5 is similar to the average over/under line in their games (132.9). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 with an average scoring total of 145 points per game.

Houston recently showcased a strong offensive performance, scoring 100 points against Texas A&M. This output exceeded their season average of 73 points per game. Leading the team in scoring was Emanuel Sharp with 30 points. Jamal Shead also added 21 points for the Cougars.

Currently, the Cougars’ defense holds the 1st rank in the nation, allowing 57.8 points per game. Houston’s defense is coming off a game in which they allowed the Texas A&M offense to knock down 51% of their shots on their way to putting up 95 points.

The Cougars’ defense is presently ranked 1st nationally, allowing an average of 57.8 points per contest. The Houston defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 95 points and allowed Texas A&M to connect on 11 threes.

  • Ramon Walker Jr. (Out) Knee
  • Terrance Arceneaux (Out) Achilles
  • Joseph Tugler (Out) Foot

Blue Devils vs. Cougars Pick

For today’s matchup we are recommending to take the Cougars to secure the win, with an expected final score of 75-68. When it comes to the spread, we believe they’ll cover at -4.

Pick: Take the Cougars at -4

The Total

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 134.5 and given that our model is projecting 143 points between the teams, we like the over.

Pick: Go Over 134.5 points (-110)