Houston Gets Home State Bid For Sweet 16 | Duke vs Houston | OSB
March Madness Sweet 16: (4) Duke Blue Devils vs. (1) Houston Cougars
By Sam Batz
When: Friday, March 29th at 9:39 PM EST
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Watch On: CBS
Matchup: Duke Blue Devils vs. Houston Cougars
64 teams entered, and only 16 remain. March Madness has reached the Sweet 16 stage of the tournament, and on Friday we have a must-watch matchup between the Duke Blue Devils and the Houston Cougars. Duke is a 4-seed and Houston is a 1-seed, but at this stage of the competition every team must be considered a title contender, especially these two. Duke is one of the most steroid NCAA tournament teams in history, recording 33 Sweet Sixteen, 23 Elite Eight, 17 Final Four, and 11 Championship appearances, with 5 Championship titles. Houston on the other hand has only recently come into March Madness esteem, securing 5 straight Sweet 16 appearances, but only 1 Final Four bid. The Cougars are hoping to get back to the Championship game for the first time since 1984, but first Houston needs to get by the tricky Blue Devils in the Sweet 16.
Below you’ll find all of our picks for the Duke vs. Houston game, including stats, scores, and advice. We’ll help you navigate the odds and provide helpful betting tips for Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup between Duke and Houston.
Duke vs. Houston Odds
Team | Spread | Total (O/U) | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
Duke Blue Devils | +4.0 (-110) | Ov 134.5 (-110) | +162 |
Houston Cougars | -4.0 (-110) | Un 134.5 (-110) | -195 |
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Duke vs. Houston Betting Trends
Duke Blue Devils
- 20-13-1 ATS
- 13-21-0 O/U record
- 0-2-0 as UNDERDOGS
- 23.5% chance to beat Houston
Houston Cougars
- 17-17-2 ATS
- 16-20-0 O/U record
- 32-4-0 as FAVORITES
- 76.5% chance to beat Duke
Duke vs. Houston Stat Comparison
- Sweet 16 appearances: 33x (most recent: 2022)
- Points per Game: 79.8
- Opponent Points per Game: 66.5
- Rebounds per Game: 36.6
- Turnovers per Game: 9.6
- Field Goal pct: 48.2%
- Three-Point pct: 38.1%
- Free Throw pct: 72.1%
- Top Players: Kyle Filipowski; Jeremy Roach; & Jared McCain
- Sweet 16 appearances: 16x (most recent: 2023)
- Points per Game: 74.1
- Opponent Points per Game: 57.7
- Rebounds per Game: 37.3
- Turnovers per Game: 8.9
- Field Goal pct: 44.0%
- Three-point pct: 34.9%
- Free Throw pct: 69.1%
- Top Players: L.J. Cryer; Jamal Shead; & J’Wan Roberts
Duke vs. Houston Game Predictions
It’s a tough game to call, but I’m going with the Duke Blue Devils over the Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16. Houston is all about defense, but in their 2nd Round matchup against Texas A&M, the Cougars gave up 95 points to a team that averaged just over 72.7 points per game during the regular season. The Cougars are a great team, but they’ve only reached the Final Four once in the last 5 years because they can’t handle the pressure. Houston now faces the underrated Duke Blue Devils, a team who knows how to win in March.
Duke is led by Kyle Filipowski, a projected top-20 NBA draft pick, as well as a pair of dynamic guards in Jeremy Roach and Jared McCain. Good guards are vital to a deep tournament run, and Duke seems to have all the necessary pieces. Houston relies too heavily on their defense; when their opponent is hitting, the Cougars don’t know what to do. Don’t get me wrong, Houston is a great team, but based on their recent Sweet 16 history, I’m not confident the Cougars will get by Duke.
In summary, here are my picks for Duke vs. Houston Sweet 16 matchup:
- Moneyline Pick: Duke Blue Devils (+162)
If you take Duke’s Moneyline (+162)): You bet $100 to win $162, for a total payout of $262, if Duke wins straight up.
- ATS Pick: Duke Blue Devils (+4.0)
If you take Duke to Cover the +4.0 Spread (-110): You risk $110 to win $100, for a total payout of $210, if Duke wins the game, or losses by less than 4 points.
- O/U Pick: Over (134.5)
If you take the Over on 134.5 total points (-110): You risk $110 to win $100, for a total payout of $210, if Duke and Houston combine for more than 134 points.
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