The No.1-seeded Duke Blue Devils (29-3) get together with No.2-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs (31-2) at NRG Stadium – Houston, TX for an opportunity to advance to the Final Four. The game starts at 5:05 pm ET on Sunday, Mar. 29 and will air on CBS.
The Blue Devils were victorious over Utah 63-57 in the Sweet 16. Tyus Jones led all scorers with 24 points on 5-for-10 shooting. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are coming off a 74-62 win over UCLA in the Sweet 16. Byron Wesley had a good shooting night, leading the team with 17 points.
Justise Winslow has been playing at a high level as of late for the Blue Devils, averaging 16.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 3.2 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.4 three-pointers over the last five games.
The game should be a battle of strength against strength, as the high-powered offense of Duke (third in the nation with an offensive efficiency of 120.9) takes on the stingy defense of Gonzaga (31st in the nation with a defensive efficiency of 154.6). Also, the Bulldogs’s first-ranked offense (offensive efficiency of 121.5) will face off against the 24th-ranked defense of the Blue Devils (defensive efficiency of 152.9).
Duke is favored by a small two-point margin in its matchup against Gonzaga. The Blue Devils enter the game with records of 32-4 Straight Up (SU) and 21-14-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Duke is excellent from the perimeter with 247 three-pointers made (7.7 per game), the 31st-most in the country. The Blue Devils, sporting the 13th-best assist-to-turnover ratio in Division I (1.40), have proven themselves to be an extremely efficient offensive team.
Across the court, the Bulldogs head into the game with records of 18-14-2 ATS and 35-2 SU. Gonzaga is the top shooting team in the country, converting .524 of their shots from the floor. Defenses have a tough time accounting for every player when up against the Bulldogs, who are known for distributing the ball with 16.4 assists per game. Gonzaga has not committed many turnovers, averaging only 10.4 per game.
This game marks the first time these teams will play this season. The last time Duke and Gonzaga played, Duke won, moving its SU record against the Bulldogs to 2-0. Additionally, Duke leads the matchup ATS with a record of 2-0.
Predictions: SU Winner – DUKE, ATS Winner – Zags
Notes
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Duke’s last 5 games.
The Duke Blue Devils have the third-best offensive rating in the nation (120.9). The Gonzaga Bulldogs have a defensive rating of 154.6 (ranked 31st).
Duke averages 67.1 possessions per game, scoring 1.209 points on each possession. While Gonzaga averages fewer possessions per game with 65.1, they score more points per possession with 1.215.
Duke has an average effective field goal percentage of 57.2%, ranked fourth in the nation. Gonzaga is undefeated (2-0) when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Ranked 10th in the country, the Gonzaga Bulldogs average 16.4 assists per game. The Duke Blue Devils make 15.7 assists (ranked 19th).
Duke ranks 40th in rebounds per game with 37.4 and Gonzaga ranks 32nd with 37.8 rebounds per game.
Gonzaga ranks 210th in offensive rebounds, while Duke ranks at 52nd in defensive rebounds.
