No. 2 Duke men's basketball is primed for a marquee matchup against No. 12 Arizona. Ahead of the Blue Devils’ highly anticipated debut, the Blue Zone brings some can’t-miss prop bets:
Duke (-5.5) vs Arizona
Two giants will clash at Cameron Indoor Stadium Friday at 7 p.m. as No. 2 Duke faces a No. 12 Arizona team which just came from scoring a staggering 122 points in its season opener. The stakes are high for both teams early in the season, and a win here could set the tone for what to expect from both as the season progresses.
On one side, Arizona’s athleticism, strength, defense and depth make it an imposing team few will be able to match. With the addition of former North Carolina guard Caleb Love, now the backcourt partner of the talented sophomore Kylan Boswell, the Wildcats have an elite offensive duo they can rely on to make shots. Scoring a total of 12 3-pointers in its season opener and out-rebounding Morgan State 49-27 says a lot about how Arizona creates offense: second-chance points and deadly 3-point shooting. Will the Blue Devils keep up with this offense and a defense which forced 25 turnovers in its opener?
Although the Blue Devils relied on star center Kyle Filipowski offensively against Dartmouth, Duke’s depth matches or even exceeds Arizona’s. The trio of sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor alongside Filipowski and senior guard Jeremy Roach dominated offensively last year. Now, add a star-studded “Freshman Four” class, including No. 12 recruit Jared McCain, No. 17 recruit Caleb Foster, No. 21 Sean Stewart and the sharp-shooting TJ Power. Notably, Foster impressed in the season opener, dropping 15 points and snatching three rebounds. With this in mind, the Blue Devils will have to be quite efficient defensively if they want to beat the Wildcats, and it seems like Jaylen Blakes will have to drive the defense alongside Roach. The Blue Devils are indeed playing at home and there is optimism that sophomore forward Mark Mitchell will suit up Friday, boosting Duke’s defense.
Pick: Duke (-5.5)
Over/Under 152.5 points
There is enough reason to believe that this game will go over the total combined points of 152.5 points. The Wildcats just came from scoring 122 points themselves and as mentioned, both teams carry elite offensive potential. Also, there were 18 Arizona games last year which combined for more than a total of 152.5 points, and the Blue Devils’ average last season was 72 points per game while the Wildcats’ was 81.9 points per game. Notwithstanding any injuries and the simple fact that it is barely the second game of the season eliminates the potential for fatigue or injuries to affect both performances as well.
Pick: Over 152.5
Jeremy Roach over/under 12.6 points
Sure, Roach’s role as a primary scoring threat seems to have subsided this season with the addition of freshman guards, Foster and McCain. However, I think Roach will be crucial for Duke offensively in these sorts of games mainly because of the veteran presence and experience he provides. While McCain and Foster are barely beginning to get used to college basketball’s physicality and competitiveness, the senior from Leesburg, Va., enters this game just six points shy of becoming Duke’s 68th 1,000 point scorer. Don’t be surprised if Roach becomes one of the leading scorers for this game. His mid-range shot has just improved with the years and Roach is really effective at getting to the spots he wants. While Arizona’s paint defense is highly improved, led by transfer senior Keshad Johnson and returning center Oumar Ballo, I’m not sure if the Wildcats have an answer to Roach’s smooth pull-up jumper.
Pick: Over 12.6
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.