The nice thing about plenty of favorites winning is the hope for some quality college basketball action! Now, the excitement rises that much more from Friday night in Dallas, Texas. Fans get a colossal matchup between the ACC and Big 12, too. At Online Sports Betting, we preview a matchup which might be an instant classic. Houston vs Duke bets feature the top-seeded Houston Cougars. They go up against the fourth-seeded Duke Blue Devils, a team that appears rejuvenated after last weekend.
- WHAT: Houston Cougars versus Duke Blue Devils
- WHEN: Friday, March 29th, 2024, 9:39 pm ET on CBS
- WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
- WHY: Sweet 16 matchup from the South Region
Bettors started clamoring for this game once Houston survived that Texas A&M onslaught. The Houston vs Duke bets spotlight a team that fights versus a team that has cruised through the first two rounds. Now, March Madness 2024 futures is coming together. After all, Houston is around +500 to +600 and Duke has shortened to the +2000 to +2500 range. Yes, we bring the Friday night table for the Cougars and Blue Devils, courtesy of Bovada Online Sportsbook.
Houston vs Duke Bets Know The Cougars Dodged One
Houston vs Duke bets know the Cougars dodged one. So, what occurred with Houston over the weekend? Honestly, give a ton of credit to Texas A&M who was down 12 and appeared out. The Aggies staged one of the most chaotic comebacks ever seen against a Cougars team whose lack of depth hurt them. That three-pointer to tie the game with little time to spare was one for the ages. Give credit to Houston, they responded in an overtime where either team could have won.
Normally, these games spur a team on to greatness. In this era of college basketball, anything is possible. Duke appeared all but done heading into the tournament but like three other ACC teams, they find themselves in the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils pulverized James Madison by almost 40 points. That was a 32-win team who was around the Top 25. Those Dukes were no slouches.
However, the Cougars are a considerable step up. Yes, Houston ranks number one in the Simple Rating System and 17th in Strength of Schedule. Both teams getting several days of rest under their belt only will help for a game like this. Houston will need it for its starting five that plays only six or seven deep most of the time now. Duke needs to go eight or nine deep here but will they?
Let's dig into this Friday night game. Also, we look at what might be next for the winner of this game too.
Duke To Face A Stern Reality?
Houston vs Duke bets wonder if Duke will face a stern reality. The problem is that Duke has seen Virginia before but not a team full of confidence like the Cougars are now. Houston can score 75-80+ points. They did score 86 in regulation versus Texas A&M. It was 81-69 before that improbable 17-5 Aggies run. The big concern with Duke is they appear to be a front-running team. Top teams like North Carolina were able to punch early and Duke was not able to fully recover.
The Blue Devils lost three close games by around five points each over their final six contests before the NCAA Tournament. Jon Scheyer admits that Duke has trouble closing some games out. That happened against NC State in the ACC Tournament. The Wolfpack clawed their way to a victory literally. Can Duke get into that same mentality against a Houston team who will not quit, especially now?
Duke faces a team that also has time to game plan. Now, that represents yet another obstacle. It does not mean this is a foregone conclusion. This is the reality of which the Blue Devils face. Houston had an aberration of 123 seconds. Look at what happened in overtime. The Cougars held the Aggies to nine points in five minutes.
Again, expect the Blue Devils to score a few more points compared to what Houston averaged defensively. Next, we dig a bit more into that.
Houston vs Duke Bets Setting The Defense?
So, Houston vs Duke bets setting the defense up for what may not quite come. The Houston we see now is not quite the Houston we are used to. Yes, they are still very good defensively. However, are the Cougars first in overall defensive rating? The answer is yes but for periods of time. Houston can give up points in some bunches. Watch that Big 12 Tournament Final against Iowa State as an example.
The list of Duke quality wins does not match Houston's. Duke beat Michigan State and Baylor. Houston defeated Kansas, Iowa State, Texas, etc. Also, it was their first year in the Big 12 and they still finished 15-3 to lead the league. Even with two key depth defenders out most of the second half, Houston found a way to keep winning. It seems when they are the most tested, the Cougars deliver.
A final alleged concern is Houston's foul shooting which is a notch below 70%. Duke is a little better at 72.1%. LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, and Jamal Sheed all shoot 78% or better. The Blue Devils actually have two players below 67% that average around five attempts a contest. With all that, Houston can potentially win by 5-7 points and barely cover.
That Friday Night Over
Houston vs Duke bets like that Friday night over. The fact that this is only at 134 points favors the bettor. As long as this number does not move too much, it favors a moderate scoring pace around 70 points for each team. That is hardly impossible on Friday night in primetime.
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