Duke -6 (-110) over NC State
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- NC State did beat Duke earlier this season in the ACC Tournament, but Duke’s guard trio shot 6/28 from the field and should be better here.
- Duke proved against Houston in the Sweet 16 that they have the physicality to win a game like this one to reach the Final Four.
The matchup between the NC State Wolfpack and Duke Blue Devils in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament on March 31, 2024 at 5:05 pm ET has the Wolfpack as 6.0 point underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The total in this ACC rivalry game for a spot in the Final Four is set at 143, in what should be the third exciting matchup between these squads this season.
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Going into Sunday’s NC State vs Duke matchup in the Elite 8, both teams have won once against one another. Duke beat NC State late in the regular season, with NC State returning the favor during the ACC tournament, keeping NC State’s miracle end to the season alive. Now, the rubber match will decide who goes to the Final Four.
Both teams have been excellent at using their physicality to continue advancing through the NCAA Tournament. NC State has done that with their bigs, led by DJ Burns, while Duke won a game that was more of a wrestling match than a basketball game against Houston in the Sweet 16. The winner of this game will win thanks primarily to their ability to use their physicality to get their opponent out of rhythm throughout.
For Duke to win, their guards need to shoot the ball better than they did against NC State during the ACC tournament. In that NC State vs Duke game, the Blue Devils trio of Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor, and Jared McCain shot a combined 6/28 from the floor. As long as they can avoid another disastrous shooting performance in this game, Duke will feel like they have the upper hand in this Elite 8 matchup.
Our best bet for this contest is for Duke to win and cover the spread as a favorite over NC State. The Wolfpack will not be blown out in this game, but Duke should be able to pull away down the stretch, as their guards and their defense are both superior to what the Wolfpack have to offer. Look for Duke to punch their ticket as the final team of this year’s Final Four, where they will face the winner of the game between Tennessee and Purdue.
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