The James Madison Dukes take on the Duke Blue Devils. Check out our Men's March Madness odds series for our James Madison Duke prediction and pick. Find how to watch James Madison Duke.
The James Madison Dukes might have been the single most impressive team in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. UConn was dominant, but UConn dealt with a No. 16 seed, Stetson. James Madison played a No. 5-seeded Wisconsin team which had just reached the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament and had been playing great basketball. JMU got the immediate jump on the Badgers, racing to a quick double-digit lead. Wisconsin made some runs to get within six points midway through the second half, but James Madison kept UW at arm's length for the whole game. Wisconsin never got especially close. James Madison controlled the game and was able to play the last two minutes without any real drama. The Dukes won with a comfortable working margin and were the better team for 40 full minutes. It was not a fluke. James Madison had better athletes than Wisconsin. Ignore the seed difference. Sometimes a 12 seed is legitimately more athletic than a No. 5 seed which plays good, structured basketball but lacks jump-out-of-the-building athletes. It happens sometimes in March Madness. It happened with James Madison. This team is really good. It has lost just three games all season. Remember that JMU beat Michigan State on the road in the first week of the whole season. Duke is a credentialed team with quality players, but it figures to have its hands full here.
Here are the James Madison-Duke Men's March Madness odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Men's March Madness Odds: James Madison-Duke Odds
James Madison Dukes: +7.5 (-115)
Duke Blue Devils: -7.5 (-105)
Over: 148.5 (-110)
Under: 148.5 (-110)
How To Watch James Madison vs Duke
Time: 5:15 pm ET / 2:15 pm PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why James Madison Could Cover the Spread
The Dukes dominated Wisconsin. That was not a coin-flip game or a 50-50 game which could have gone either way; no, JMU controlled the game and only temporarily lost focus for a few minutes here or there. For the vast majority of 40 minutes, the Dukes were in control of Wisconsin and won comfortably at the end. A team that good, and a team which has lost only three games all season, has earned the benefit of the doubt. This is a tough, athletic, active team with a robust, vigorous defense. Coach Mark Byington is doing an absolutely outstanding job with this group, and he might be the better coach in this game compared to Duke's Jon Scheyer. Duke is a good team, but nothing resembling a great team. Duke is not dominant or overwhelming. JMU should be able to stay close. Getting 7.5 points, the Dukes look like a good play here.
Why Duke Could Cover the Spread
The Blue Devils responded really well on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They answered every time Vermont made a push at them. Duke's resilient and timely performance, making big plays in all the right moments, should serve as excellent preparation for this game against a good JMU team. Duke should be able to play at a high level, in which case it will cover the spread.
Final James Madison-Duke Prediction & Pick
The display James Madison put on against Wisconsin is hard to ignore. Take JMU.
Final James Madison-Duke Prediction & Pick: James Madison +7.5
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