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The Duke Blue Devils host Appalachian State on Thursday night in the NCAA. It's time to continue our college basketball odds series with an Appalachian State-Duke prediction and pick based on Appalachian State Duke odds.
App State is 6-5 on the season and will take on their toughest opponent all season long. They are led by senior guard Adrian Delph who is their leading scorer. Delph is averaging 15.8 points per game and 5.1 rebounds to go along with it. If Delph isn't on his game, then this is going to be a very difficult matchup for App State as they face one of the best teams in the entire NCAA. If they keep the game close then that will be a major momentum boost for the rest of the season.
Duke is coming off a blowout win over South Carolina State on Tuesday. They scored 103 points and gave up only 62. That is as dominant of a win you can get in college and the team is looking very good. The game prior, they lost the Ohio State by five which caught many by surprise. Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore Jr. lead the team with 17 points per game.
Let's see how FanDuel set the Appalachian State-Duke odds for Thursday night.
College Basketball Odds: Appalachian State-Duke Odds
Appalachian State: +21.5 (-104)
Duke: -21.5 (-118)
Over: 137.5 (-110)
Under: 137.5 (-110)
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Why Appalachian State Could Cover The Spread
With a spread this huge, it's difficult to determine how it will finish. Duke just blew out a Power-5 school by 40 so they should do the same to App State, right? Well, that might not be the case. App State gives up seven fewer points per game as Duke does. Obviously, the competition is a lot worse for smaller schools, but that could be a factor Thursday night. Duke averages 85 points per game and App State gives up 58 per game. If I had to choose which of those would hit, I'd probably take Duke. Duke is going to win this game and there isn't anything App State can really do. But if Delph is hot and their defense is playing aggressively, they will have a chance to cover this huge spread.
Why Duke Could Cover The Spread
Duke is 4-3-2 against the spread this year. Even though Duke is ranked 2nd and playing very well, they aren't covering their spreads like most would assume. This team is filled with a ton of talent so it's not a question of if they will win, but by how much. If Banchero, Moore, And Trevor Keels are all feeling it then there isn't much App State can do to stop them. This game could very well end like Duke's last game which was a blowout.
Final Appalachian State-Duke Prediction & Pick
I'm not going to overthink on this one and take Duke to cover the spread. They are coming off a great win and I think the momentum is there. As long as Banchero is on the court, Duke is capable of beating any opponent on the court.
Final Appalachian State-Duke Prediction & Pick: Duke -21.5 (-118)