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Not High on the Hogs: Duke ATS Pick vs Arkansas
For the first time all season, Duke faces a true road contest when they travel to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas as part of the SEC/ACC challenge. Despite being ranked seventh in the college basketball rankings, the Blue Devils are just a 4½-point favorite over the Razorbacks according to the college basketball betting odds.
Offense Reason to Back Duke
Though its the first true road contest, this matchup is the third power-conference opponent for Duke on the season, falling to Arizona at home before knocking off Michigan State at a neutral site. The Blue Devils come into the matchup hot, eclipsing 90 points in two of their last three. Sophomore sensation Kyle Filipowski leads the team with 18 points per game while grabbing eight rebounds, including a career-high 14 boards in the most recent contest against Southern Indiana.
Duke Blue Devils sophomore big man Kyle Filipowski with a strong start to the 2023-24 NCAA season
Filipowski continues to offer an intriguing upside with his offensive versatility and rebounding. 21 PTS & 14 REB in recent outing with 3 AST & 3 BLK.
Big upcoming test Wednesday… pic.twitter.com/Hw6wZPdZaK
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) November 25, 2023
Following a slow start offensively, sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor has eclipsed double digits in each of the last four games. But the Aussie is more valuable for his ball-handling, dishing out over five assists per game while only turning the ball over seven times on the entire season.
The Blue Devils are also getting it done on the defensive side of the ball, yielding just over 64 points per game and holding every opponent below its season average in scoring. Keep this in mind when betting the over/under on your college basketball picks.
Arkansas Coming Off Back-to-Back Losses
The season got off to a good start for Arkansas, including a victory against highly ranked Purdue in a charity exhibition and three wins to start the season. But an upset loss to UNC Greensboro and two losses at the Battle 4 Atlantis have the Hogs reeling. The Blue Devils perhaps pose their most difficult opponent yet. In their last two games, the Razorbacks struggled to take care of the ball, turning it over 30 times compared to just 13 assists. It’s among the reasons they are home underdogs in college basketball lines.
The Razorbacks had the difficult task of replacing stars Nick Smith and Anthony Black, who went to the NBA. They did so with a series of transfers, including former Houston Cougar Tramon Mark, who has led the team with over 18 points per game. Temple transfer and sixth-man Khalif Battle chips in 15 points per game.
Senior guard Davonte Davis is one of the few returning contributors from last season. While only averaging eight points, he leads the team in assists and continues to play the same great defense that resulted in him being named to the SEC All-Defense Team last season. Trevon Brazile has returned from a torn ACL and averages 10 points while leading the team with nearly eight rebounds per game.
Duke to Send Arkansas to Third Straight Loss
Despite being its first true road game, Duke should justify the Las Vegas betting odds and extend its winning streak to five. Arkansas has struggled immensely to take care of the basketball and Duke’s strong defense should capitalize. Duke’s style of sharing the basketball, playing strong defense and rebounding should be enough to take care of a talented Arkansas squad and cover the 4½-point college basketball spread.
College Basketball Pick: Duke -4½
Duke vs Arkansas Game Information
- Game: Duke (5-1) at Arkansas (4-3)
- Location: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville, AR
- Date/Time: Nov. 29, 9:15 p.m. ET
- Duke vs Arkansas Live Stream: TBS.com
Questions of the Day
Will Duke cover the spread against Arkansas?
Yes, Duke will cover the five-point spread
Which players are expected to have a major impact on the Duke vs Arkansas game?
For Duke, Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor. For Arkansas, Tramon Mark and Trevon Brazile
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
