6:02 pm
December 18

Princeton @ #2 Duke

What will be the GAME RESULT?

#2 Duke: Wins By 30+ Points

Any Other Result

 

Current odds:

Princeton: (+10000)

Duke: (-30000)

 

• The line for this game is Duke by 30 points.

• Second-ranked Duke puts its 145-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents on the line when it hosts Princeton on Tuesday. The Blue Devils haven’t lost a non-conference game at home since 2000. The Blue Devils are facing a second consecutive Ivy League opponent after steamrolling Yale 91-58 on Dec. 8 before breaking for final exams. Duke has won its last four games by an average of 37 points since suffering an 89-87 loss to Gonzaga on Nov. 21, but it is somewhat concerned about sluggish starts in some of those games.

• Princeton lost two straight contests before rallying for an 85-81 victory over Iona on Saturday.

• The Tigers haven’t burned it up at the offensive end, but they’ve gotten a boost recently from the addition of freshman Jaelin Llewellyn, who has averaged 19.5 points and six assists in two games after missing the first seven contests due to injury and illness. Llewellyn provides a second scoring option to complement backcourt mate Devin Cannady (21.3 points, 4.6 rebounds). Swingman Myles Stephens (13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds) leads the team in rebounding despite standing just 6-5, so the Tigers could have trouble in the post against the Blue Devils.

• RJ Barrett (24.2 points, 7.2 rebounds) and Zion Williamson (20.4, nine) formulate one of two pair of teammates in the nation averaging over 20 points apiece. Cam Reddish (14.5 points) and Tre Jones (8.8, 5.6 assists) round out Duke’s outstanding freshman class. If the Blue Devils have a weakness, it’s their 3-point shooting — they hit a meager 33.2 percent from beyond the arc — but they defend the perimeter well, holding opponents to 28.2 percent from long range.

• Duke leads the nation with 7.5 blocked shots per game and ranks second with an average of 11.1 steals.

• The Blue Devils outscore opponents 26.1 to 9.4 in fast-break points and 23.7 to 10.4 in points off turnovers.

• Duke has won 18 of the 19 meetings between the schools, with Princeton’s lone victory coming in 1981.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Any Other Result