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Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
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Expert Picks
Sometimes top teams get flip-flopped against the spread for appropriate reason. Although Kansas is the 1-seed and Duke has seven losses, it's clear that the Blue Devils are the overall better team. This is a region mismatch for Kansas. Surely, the Jayhawks will hang around but expect Coach K's adjustments and depth to override Bill Self's squad. Grab Duke.
Kansas has won its previous two meetings against Duke and covered four of the past five, but the Blue Devils are playing at an elite level now that only Villanova can contend with. Just like 'Nova, Duke has been underrated most of the season, going 22-12 against the spread. It's not often we get two elite teams flying under the radar, but Duke is improving and is 9-3 ATS in its last 12. Duke gets the cover.
After closing the regular season with six consecutive Unders, Duke has been Over in three of its past five postseason games. As a result, a high total has been set. For style of play, Kansas is the spitting image of North Carolina. In the Blue Devils' two recent matchups with UNC, the totals of 159 and 155.5 fell short by 21 and 12.5 points, respectively. If Jayhawks center Udoka Azubuike can avoid foul trouble -- a big if -- and stay on the floor to detour shots while keeping Marvin Bagley III in check, we are looking at a game in the 140s.
Last year, Kansas coming up a game short of the Final Four felt like a disappointment for a club ripe with experience and stars. This time, reaching the Elite Eight is a huge accomplishment for what is likely coach Bill Self's most limited team talent-wise since he's been with the Jayhawks. Another Big 12 regular season and tournament title were remarkable feats, but on Sunday they run into a Duke club that looks destined for a title run. The Devils beat Syracuse with Grayson Allen having a poor game. Look for him to bounce back and make a difference here.