COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Duquesne enters with a stronger scoring profile, putting up 78.0 points per game with 52.7% shooting from the field, while Washington State has been much colder offensively at 61.0 points per game and 35.3% shooting. On the other side, Duquesne allows 71.0 points per game, and Washington State allows 76.0, so the Dukes have been the cleaner team defensively in the small sample. There are still some numbers that keep the Cougars live as an underdog. Washington State has the better three-point shooting mark at 36.9% compared with Duquesne's 31.2%, and the rebounding gap is nearly even at 36.0 to 37.0. Duquesne's KenPom profile from last season showed a modest offensive edge but not enough of a gap to make a short home favorite fully secure, which is why the underdog side can still be playable if the price stays favorable.
Washington State is the live side in a game that should stay tight from start to finish, with the Cougars projected to win 70-67. Duquesne has the better home profile and slightly better season-long scoring prevention, but Washington State's perimeter shooting and close rebound numbers keep the upset path open, and the market appears to be leaning too heavily toward the home team. The projected total is 137, which fits a slower, lower-scoring game where every possession matters.
