The NC State Wolfpack (18-11, 9-9 ACC) pay a visit to Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on the Duke Blue Devils (23-6, 13-5) in a 7 p.m. ET ACC contest Monday. We analyze the NC State-Duke odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.
NC State at Duke: Three things you need to know
1. NC State routed Duke 88-66 in Raleigh Feb. 19. The Wolfpack held the ACC’s top offense (82.1 points per game) to a 37.7% mark (26-of-69) from the floor in a game controlled wire-to-wire. The Blue Devils entered the game favored by six points. The result spelled the sixth straight win against the spread for the underdog in this series.
2. With two losses in closer fashion, the Devils are 1-2 since that dismantling in Raleigh. The two losses have included problems on defense (in a 113-101 double-overtime loss at Wake Forest Feb. 25) and on offense (52-50 loss at Virginia Saturday). Although Duke does not shoot threes at a high rate, one common theme in the recent losses has been an inability to hit shots from beyond the arc. Over the losses to the Wolfpack, Demon Deacons and Cavaliers, the Blue Devils shot an aggregate 24.6% (14-of-57) from 3-point range.
3. Like Duke, NC State has followed that first meeting with a win and two losses. The game the Wolfpack did win — Saturday vs. Pitt — was one which saw the Panthers lead for all but the final five minutes.
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North Carolina State at Duke: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:35 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Duke 82, NC State 68
Moneyline (ML)
The overall lean is on Duke in a revenge game at home, but PASS on the price, as there is just too much chalk on Duke (-909) to win outright.
Against the Spread (ATS)
Duke is 8-7 ATS at home. When the Devils cover, they’ve tended to cover by double digits.
The home five here have an elite ability to create and score off turnovers and get second-chance looks off the offensive glass. Over recent home games, the Blue Devils have had too many dominant 6-to-10-minute stretches to ignore. Those surges produce enough of a point differential to warrant a moderate-confidence play on DUKE -13 (+105).
Over/Under (O/U)
This game has a big number with the total set at 151.5 (Over: +100, Under: -121). In a few scenarios, the expected game flow gets us close enough to sit this one out. PASS.
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