A berth in the Sweet 16 is on the line when the East Region’s fifth-seed, Duke, squares off against No. 4 Tennessee in the second round in Orlando.
The Blue Devils rolled to a 74-51 win over No. 12 Oral Roberts on Thursday for their 10th straight victory. Duke has reached the Sweet 16 in its past four tournament appearances and six of its past eight.
But the Volunteers are standing in Duke’s path. Tennessee held off upstart No. 13 seed Louisiana 58-55 in the first round Thursday night.
Read on for my Tennessee vs Duke prediction and best bets.
Pat Pickens’ March Madness Betting Record: 1-5 (-5.9 units)
Tennessee vs Duke Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Tennessee vs Duke were used from DraftKings Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of March 17, at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Duke (-150) • Tennessee (+130)
- Spread: Duke -3 (-110) • Tennessee +3 (-110)
- Total: Over 129.5 (-110) • Under 129.5 (-110)
Tennessee vs Duke Pick of the Day
Keep reading for more Tennessee vs Duke betting tips.
Tennessee vs Duke Prediction
Duke 70, Tennessee 60
These are two of the best defensive teams remaining in the tournament, so the first team to 60 points will probably win. Duke can score, proven by the fact it has surpassed 60 points in 10 of its past 11 games.
Can Tennessee win a game with points? The Vols are 21-0 in games where they allow fewer than 60 points but just 3-10 when allowing 60-plus. I’m not sure they can hold Duke below 60.
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Tennessee vs Duke Best Bets
Duke -3 (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Duke faced little resistance from Oral Roberts in the first round, and Tennessee needed to sweat out a win over the Ragin’ Cajuns to advance. That extra rest should serve the Blue Devils in a game where they’ll likely need to grind out a win.
Over 129.5 Total Points (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Duke has scored at least 70 points in seven of its past nine games and is averaging 78.5 points per game since the beginning of the ACC Tournament, including its NCAA tourney opener against Oral Roberts. If the Blue Devils surpass 70 again, the Over is extremely likely to hit.
Tennessee vs Duke Same Game Parlay
Tennessee vs Duke SGP • FanDuel Sportsbook (+189)
WAGER: 1 Unit
- Duke Moneyline
- Over 127.5 Points
This one seems self-explanatory based on what’s stated above. But instead of betting on Duke to cover the spread, I took them simply to win.
The Blue Devils covering -2.5 raises the odds to +218, and I think that’ll hit too. But in a parlay setting, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Tennessee vs Duke Props
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