When this game was scheduled, nobody probably figured the Pittsburgh Panthers standings would list them ahead of the Duke Blue Devils in Atlantic Coast Conference play five games in. However, that is where we are at though a lot can change as it is one of many NCAA basketball games today featuring conference teams playing one another.
Both NCAA basketball teams are led by a coach from the Mike Krzyzewski coaching tree. Pittsburgh’s Jeff Capel played and later was an assistant coach at Duke. The same is true for Jon Scheyer, who is leading his alma mater. If Scheyer’s team wins, the Blue Devils will draw even with the Panthers in the college basketball standings.
Before we offer a Pittsburgh vs Duke prediction, here is what you need to know beforehand.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Duke Blue Devils Information
Pittsburgh Panthers (11-5, 4-1 ACC) vs. Duke Blue Devils (12-4, 3-2)
Location of the game: Cameron Indoor Stadium. Durham, NC.
Date: 7 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023.
How to watch: ACC Network.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Duke Blue Devils Recent Scores
Each team settled their last score by one point. The Panthers lost 75-74 on their home court to a Clemson Tigers team, who is the last unbeaten team in the ACC. Jamarius Burton scored 28 points to lead all scorers for Pitt, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a balanced Clemson attack, which saw four scorers in double figures.
It was a tough loss, but one that shouldn’t impact the NCAAB schedule come NCAA Tournament selection time.
The Duke Blue Devils schedule saw them travel to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where a scare from the Boston College Eagles was waiting. But the Blue Devils prevailed 65-64. Dariq Whitehead had 18 points, with freshman Kyle Filipkowski adding 15 with nine rebounds.
Fifteen turnovers were what allowed the Eagles to stay in the game in which Duke was 8.5 point road favorites.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Duke Blue Devils Analysis
Each team is an above-average basketball team on each end of the floor, and both have been particularly good on the defensive end of the floor.
Pittsburgh Panthers Stats
The Panthers are 160th in allowing 68.2 points per game. They rank 93rd in allowing teams to make 41.4% of field goal attempts and are 68th in forcing teams to convert 30.6% of 3-point shots. They are 177th in allowing 31.0 rebounds per game.
Offensively, the Panthers are 116th in scoring 75.2 points per game. They rank 169th in both field goal conversion rate (44.8%) and 3-point conversion rate (34.3%). They are 93rd at making 73.5% of free throw attempts and grab 36.1 rebounds per game, which is 39th.
Typically, Blake Hinson leads the way at 16.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Burton is right behind him at 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Nelly Cummings leads the team in assists at 5.1 per game and is third in scoring at 10.6. Greg Elliott is fourth at 10.4 points per game.
Key Injuries
But the college basketball injury report shows the Panthers have been dealing with depth issues. John Hugley IV is out indefinitely for personal reasons, and he was fifth in scoring. They lost forward William Jeffress for the season to a toe injury.
Vason Stevenson is out indefinitely for an undisclosed reason, and Dior Johnson is out indefinitely due to a suspension.
Duke Blue Devils Stats
The Blue Devils, meanwhile, are always a popular pick when it comes time for March Madness bets, but they’ve cast some doubt into how dominant they can be. They are playing better, though, and ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press poll.
The Blue Devils are 33rd defensively in holding teams to 62.5 points per game. They rank 81st in limiting teams to 41.1% on field goal attempts and rank 28th in holding teams to 29.1% on 3-point shots. They are 20th in limiting teams to 27.7 rebounds per game.
Offensively, they are 167th in scoring 72.4 points per game. They are 227th in making 43.9% of field goal attempts and 241st in making 32.7% of 3-point shots and are 13th in making 78.0% of free throw attempts and 41st in rebounding at 35.9 per game.
Key Injuries
They will likely be without guard Jeremy Roach, who is doubtful with a toe injury. Roach, who plays 32.3 minutes per game and is the second-leading scorer and top passer at 11.9 points and 3.2 assists per game, will be missed. But they have some of the best college basketball players in the country.
Filipkowski leads the team in scoring and rebounding at 13.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Mitchell is at 9.8 points, and Whitehead is at 8.8 points per game.
Odds Breakdown
NCAAB odds show the Duke Blue Devils as 8.5-point favorites with an over/under of 141.5 points. The Panthers are +310 on the Moneyline, while the Blue Devils are -400 on the Moneyline.
Here are some other nuggets to know before our Pittsburgh vs. Duke prediction.
Pittsburgh Panthers
The Panthers are 11-4-1 against the spread and 11-5 on over/under this season. They are 3-1 straight up on the road. The Panthers are 6-2-1 as underdogs this season and are 1-1 against the spread as underdogs of 7.5 to 9.5 points. The road team is 6-1 against the spread in the last seven meetings.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils are 7-9 against the spread and 6-10 on over/under this season. They are 8-0 straight up at home. The Blue Devils are 5-6 against the spread as favorites, including losing their lone game favored between 7.5 and 9.5 points.
The series favors Duke with a 14-8 straight-up record, including a 6-2 record at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke has been profitable for those making college basketball picks in this series by winning six of the last seven meetings.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Duke Blue Devils Betting Pick and Prediction
The public Pittsburgh vs. Duke prediction favors Pitt with 60% of bets against the spread. It should be a close game, but Cameron Indoor Stadium has a way of affecting opponents in surprising ways.
Here are our picks:
Spread: Duke -8.5; given the money line is strongly favoring the Blue Devils and they are yet to have a blemish at home, we’ll take them to win and cover.
Total: Under 141.5; this could be a rock fight at times because of how strong these teams are defensively.
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