In the previous three seasons, Duke basketball has reached the NCAA Tournament each year. The Blue Devils have not missed the Big Dance in the last 11 years, reaching the Final Four on four occasions.
The 2019-20 campaign is the Blue Devils’ 20th season of existence, which made the basketball world eagerly await their return to the big stage. In the meantime, many fans have been patiently waiting for the chance to bet on Duke basketball. And now, with the NCAA Tournament roughly a month away, the time has finally come. The Blue Devils will begin their season against New Mexico State in the first round, and if you’re looking to get in on the action, here’s how to do it.
NCAA Tournament Odds: What Are the Matchups?
For the most up-to-date odds on all the NCAA Tournament matches, be sure to check out Bovada Sportsbook.
Duke is a 16.5-point favorite over New Mexico State according to Bovada. Additionally, the Blue Devils are a 2.5-point favorite over the Antelopes across the board. Tip-off between Duke and New Mexico State is set for March 5 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
Duke Basketball 2019-20 Season Preview
Since 2005, the Blue Devils have made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including the past three seasons. Although head coach Mike Krzyzewski has taken them as far as they can go, it’s time for the seniors to call it a day.
Duke is expected to go all the way this year as well, despite the loss of two key players to the NBA. Junior star Zion Williamson will headline the 2019 NBA Draft, leaving the remainder of the team to step up and showcase their full potential. If they can keep up their recent tournament success, the Blue Devils could very well secure a spot in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Let’s take a quick recap of what happened in the past three seasons, as well as how the team’s composition has changed:
Zion Williamson (JR, G, 6’7″, 218 lbs):
This year’s number one draft pick will be either RJ Barrett or Cam Reddish. However, it’ll almost certainly be Williamson, who is an absolute lock for the top spot. The 6’7″, 218-pounder is one of the most talented players in the country and is viewed as a generational talent. Having played only nine games last year due to injury, Williamson is coming back stronger and better than ever. He’s also one of the most clutch players in the country, with his incredible ability to step up in big moments truly showcasing his talent. As mentioned above, the Blue Devils will lose two of their key players to the NBA. However, they’ll still have plenty of talent left on the roster, including Williamson. They’re also set to return a majority of their experience, having gone 82-16 in the past three years. With these factors in mind, it’s no wonder that many experts believe that the Blue Devils will be just as successful this year as they were in 2018-19.
Tre Jones (Sr, F, 6’7″, 231 lbs):
A two-time All-American for the Blue Devils, Tre Jones will anchor the defense this year. The 6’7″, 231-pound forward will be asked to do a lot, as he’ll be taking on the responsibility of protecting the rim and staying in front of his man all season long. In 2018-19, Jones averaged 12.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while chipping in with 1.2 blocks. Needless to say, if he maintains his level of play, the Blue Devils will be in good shape. Jones is one of the best in the country at what he does. He’s not a flashy player by any means, but he does everything well, which makes him a complete force on the defensive end.
RJ Barrett (JR, F, 6’7″, 196 lbs):
Another two-time All-American for Duke and the 2019 NBA Draft hopeful, RJ Barrett is back to lead the Blue Devils. The 19-year-old forward will be looked upon to score in bunches this year, as he’s been held to under 10 points just once in his last 26 games. If that trend continues, Barrett could very well break the 30-point barrier this year for the first time in his career. Having played an instrumental part in the Blue Devils’ three most recent NCAA Tournament appearances, Barrett is coming off the best year of his young career. He averaged 29.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. If that’s not enough, the 19-year-old also shot an incredible 63.6 percent from the field.
Zach McDonald (Sr, F, 6’7″, 205 lbs):
After leading Duke in scoring in 2016-17 and 2017-18, McDonald will look to continue that trend this year. The 6’7″, 205-pound forward was one of the biggest reasons why the Blue Devils were able to reach the Elite Eight last year and is back for more. McDonald averaged 17.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. He also contributed 1.3 steals per game and posted a plus-minus rating of +12. Although McDonald will be in the thick of the action, the Blue Devils will still rely heavily upon Williamson and Jones on the defensive end, especially early in the season. However, should be looking to build their lead off the boards. McDonald does a phenomenal job getting to the free-throw line, where he’s been converted into a 68.5 percent shooter this year.
Victor Davison (Sr, G, 6’6″, 200 lbs):
The Blue Devils will also be relying heavily upon their sophomore guard, Victor Davison, who led the team in scoring last year with 18.7 points per game. Like McDonald, Davison is back for more, which should make fans feel good about the future of the program. In addition to his scoring, the 6’6″, 200-pounder does an excellent job finding the open man and getting to the free-throw line, where he’s shot an impressive 87.5 percent this year.
Wendell Carter Jr. (Sr, F, 6’8″, 225 lbs):
Duke’s senior center, Wendell Carter Jr., will be looked upon to take on a bigger role this year, as he’ll be asked to score more. Much like his brother, Zion, the 25-year-old is a big-time scorer. Last year, Carter averaged 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the field. Having shot just 46.3 percent from three-point range last year, Carter will look to change that in 2019-20. He’s also one of the best scorers in college basketball when teams have to play short-handed, as he was a perfect six for six from downtown and 11 for 12 from the free-throw line with one hand last year. That’s exactly what the Blue Devils will be looking for from Carter.
How to Bet On Duke Basketball
If you’re interested in betting on Duke basketball, then your first stop should be Bovada Sportsbook. To make a bet, click on the NBA logo and then the Tournament button to navigate to the appropriate page. From there, you can make your bet in the upper right-hand corner. If you’re looking to bet on the spread, then you can place a bet on the over or under in the next to last game of the round. For totals, you can bet on either the over or under in all NCAA Tourney games. Bovada also offers a money-line wager where you can bet on the total score of each game. For the most part, Nevada sportsbooks offer the same types of wagers as Bovada, but with some additional options. For example, you can bet on whether a team will be over (YES) or under (NO) total points scored in each quarter. Essentially, the options are endless when it comes to betting on sport teams.
When placing either a spread or total wager, make sure to place your wager on the correct team. For the most part, you’ll want to bet on the team with the best record or highest projected record. In the event of a tie, then you can choose either side. As always, if you have questions about how to place a wager, then feel free to contact the sportsbook staff. They should be able to help you out.