Yes, March Madness is through two rounds already. Now, the basketball gets even more intense with the Sweet 16 on the way. Arizona and Duke square off from the East Region. Wildcats vs Blue Devils bets examine betting choices, background, and more. Here are some particulars below
- WHAT: 4 - Arizona Wildcats versus 1 - Duke Blue Devils
- WHEN: Thursday, March 27th, 2025, 9:39 pm ET on CBS
- WHERE: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
- WHY: Who advances to the Elite Eight on Saturday?
Fans and experts love all the madness. At OSB, we even got our first "Onions" moment courtesy of Derik Queen and Maryland. Sure, questions of a walk err crab walk are out there. However, March Madness Betting Online Odds 2025 roll into the next two rounds. The Wildcats vs Blue Devils bets get people ready a huge rematch leading into the Elite Eight weekend.
Arizona vs Duke By The Numbers
Wildcats vs Blue Devils Bets And The Rematch
Wildcats vs Blue Devils bets offer more on the anticipated rematch. Yes, Arizona and Duke played each other right before Thanksgiving. Although that was more than four months ago, the result was telling as it cemented Duke as a potential national title contender. It kind of put Arizona in its place and that stung Caleb Love. Love formerly played for North Carolina and remembers the rivalry with Duke very vividly.
The problem for Arizona is that Duke can beat you so many ways. Now, the Blue Devils are the only team in the nation with an offensive and defensive rating ranked inside the Top 5. Also, Duke ranks 12th in points per game and 6th in points yielded. The Wildcats found that out the hard way in meeting number one. Arizona got held to 55 points, which was their lowest output of the entire season. It was a sloppy game that saw 28 combined turnovers as the Wildcats only shot 39.6% from the field.
Naturally, a lot has changed since then or has it? Duke keeps rolling along. The Blue Devils won 19 of their 20 conference games then won the ACC Tournament. Even with Cooper Flagg rolling his ankle, Duke has not missed a beat. The Blue Devils rolled over Baylor 89-68, played physical, got to the line, and made the Bears look pedestrian. Can Arizona offer more resistance than they did the first time around?
So, let us answer that first question and then we can dive into some more possible wagers.
Do We See A Repeat On Thursday Night?
Wildcats vs Blue Devils bets ask do we see a repeat on Thursday night? This game feels a little different and yet it does not. Arizona breezed through the opening round but ran into former PAC-12 rival Oregon on Sunday. The Wildcats outlasted the Beavers 87-83 behind 29 points from Caleb Love. Love does not quite have the supporting cast around him like Cooper Flagg does. The Arizona guard must take the game over for the Wildcats to stand a chance.
The one thing Arizona did well against Oregon especially was rebound better. Arizona had 43 in all (12 offensive). Those several extra possessions made a difference in the outcome. Arizona is 11th in the nation in rebounding while Duke is 6th in rebounds yielded. Toby Awaka can be a force on the glass. He has to neutralize Flagg and the Duke forwards. Now, that was desperately missing at times in the first matchup.
Anyway, Duke has also improve greatly since November. Opponents shoot 38.3% from the field and 30.5% from three-point range versus the Blue Devils. Arizona's up-tempo style suits Duke fine. Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor have improved so much and complement Flagg's scoring. Khaman Malauch keeps making strides offensively along with his ability to rebound and get out in transition. Honestly, Arizona may have more matchup problems the second time around.
So, does history repeat itself twice? Arizona got better but so did Duke, so the answer is yes. Take Duke to cover late on Thursday night.
Wildcats vs Blue Devils Bets Ponder More Early Choices
Okay, Wildcats vs Blue Devils bets ponder more early choices. Arizona gets caught typically playing one style and that is up tempo. What happens when the game gets slowed down even a little? That negatively impacts the Wildcats. Some wondered why the game total is set at 153.5. People remember that November 22nd game well. The expectation was upward of 160 points. Instead, the two teams could not even get to 125.
Okay, projected numbers opened at 154.5 from most sites. However, that inched down to 153.5 just hours after the Sunday games ended. A couple choices to look into further may be Arizona to score fewer than 70 points. Waiting to see where the number lands might be prudent here. Experts anticipate more of a shift late rather than early.
Are there even more bets to be made? Absolutely. There is the game totals but also the first half total and spread. Duke could find itself up 6-10 points at halftime. The Blue Devils won both halves by 5+ points in the first meeting. It is something to take a small wager on. Again, this is a marathon not a sprint.
Also, this might be a risk but take the over at halftime too if it stays at 72.5. For better or worse, Arizona is going to push the pace even though they may give up points frequently.
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