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The No.1 team in the nation, Duke, gets ready to host the Ohio State Buckeyes Tuesday night. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Duke-Ohio State prediction and pick based on Duke Ohio State odds.
The Duke Blue Devils could very well be the top team for most of the season in 2021-22. Duke is 7-0 on the season and is 2-0 against AP top-10 teams. They defeated No.10 Kentucky in their opener and are fresh off of an 84-81 win over top seed Gonzaga last week. Paolo Banchero is off to a fantastic start as a freshman averaging 18.3 points per game off 53.4% shooting. He also leads the team in rebounds at 7.6 a game and is looking like an early-season lock for the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA Draft. It's not just Banchero who is playing well, just about everyone else is playing great also and it's very clear that Duke is the best team in the NCAA right now.
Meanwhile, Ohio State is playing pretty well also. They are 4-2 on the year and have a big win against Seton Hall, who at the time was ranked 21st in the nation. The Buckeyes are fresh off of a close 71-68 loss to No.23 Florida. A win there could've put the Buckeyes in the top 25, but for now, will need to focus on playing the top dog. Ohio State is led by one of the top Juniors in the nation, E.J Liddell. Liddell is averaging a whopping 22.5 points off 56% shooting this season. He is tied for seventh in scoring and should lead this team all season. This should be an exciting game to watch as both teams should shoot well offensively.
Here is how FanDuel has set the odds for Tuesday night's Duke-Ohio State matchup.
College Basketball Odds: Duke-Ohio State Odds
Duke: -3 (-115)
Ohio State: +3 (-105)
Over: 146.5 (-110)
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Under: 146.5 (-110)
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Why Duke Could Cover The Spread
Duke is a dominant team by every stretch of the manner, yet they are just 3-2-2 against the spread this year. Whatever the spread is doesn't seem to be the case when Duke is playing. Somehow they were +8.5 underdogs against Gonzaga and beat them by three. Duke has a +21 margin of victory average on the year and can destroy anyone they play. This spread seems a little low considering the talent they have and the games they have won this year. Though, Liddell could shoot the lights out for Ohio State and keep this game very close. I still expect Duke to win this game and cover the spread unless there is a total collapse late in the game. If Duke can beat Gonzaga then I don’t think Ohio State gives them much of a threat.
Why Ohio State Could Cover The Spread
Ohio State is 2-4 against the spread this year. The team really just relies on Liddell to play well and if he doesn't then they don't have much going for them. This isn't too difficult of a spread for them to cover but they are going to need to be on top of their game. They have four other players who average at least eight points per game so it's going to need to be a group effort to cover Tuesday night. Their defense will need to be elite because Duke has 6-7 options they can look to. This will be the toughest game they play all season and it is one that will determine where they really are amongst everyone else.
Final Duke-Ohio State Prediction & Pick
I'm taking Duke to cover this spread and win easily. This team is playing very well and the chemistry seems to be as good as it's going to get. That is a good sign early in the year and it's going to benefit them later on. Duke is playing a lot of good teams early in the season and beating them, I expect this team to make it very far in the tournament. They shouldn't have a problem getting past Ohio State, even if Liddell scores 30+.
Final Duke-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Duke -3 (-115)
