Duke vs. NC State Prediction: Should You Fade Kyle FIlipowski, Blue Devils?
Duke vs. NC State Prediction: Should You Fade Kyle FIlipowski, Blue Devils?
Monday’s college basketball slate isn’t anything to write home about, but there’s one game in particular that caught my attention. The Duke Blue Devils travel within their home state to face off against one of their rivals on Monday, the NC State Wolfpack. Will DJ Horne and DJ Burns carry the Wolfpack to an upset, or will Duke cover and win their fifth game in their last six matchups?
DUKE VS. NC STATE DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: March 4, 2024
- Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN
Duke vs. NC State Prediction
I’m willing to bet the NC State Wolfpack play their best basketball of the season on Monday night. They are coming off back to back losses, and if the Wolfpack don’t pull off this Q1 win, they can kiss their auto-bid hopes goodbye. Luckily for DJ Horne and the rest of this NC State team, they have a solid matchup against the Blue Devils tonight. They’ve also kept these matchups against Duke relatively close over the years, either winning outright or losing by four or less points in three of the last four matchups dating back to 2021.
This NC State team takes care of the basketball extremely well. They rank inside the top-25 in turnovers this season. Duke won’t be able to take advantage of many turnovers in this matchup, giving NC State an opportunity to keep this game within a couple of possessions. DJ Horne, Jayden Taylor and Casey Morsell can hang with this young Duke backcourt, keeping the mistakes to a minimum.
If anything, I’m expecting Duke to turn the ball over more than the Wolfpack. This young Duke backcourt has played extremely well this season, but they will likely be without Caleb Foster once again in this contest. Jeremy Roach is the one veteran presence in this Duke backcourt, but this team relies heavily on Tyrese Proctor and Jared McCain.
PNC Arena will be packed and extremely loud tonight as the Wolfpack look for another Q1 win. If the lights are too bright for some of Duke’s young stars, NC State will take advantage of their mistakes. Don’t be surprised if the more-seasoned Wolfpack control the tempo in this contest, keeping this game close until the final whistle.
Nobody seems to think NC State can hang with the Blue Devils in this matchup. Less than 30% of the bets and handle (on VSIN) are currently backing NC State to cover tonight, making Duke one of the more public favorites of the night. Fade the Blue Devils, and back NC State to cover on the spread tonight. Don’t be surprised if Kyle FIlipowski’s worst nightmare comes to life and the Wolfpack storm their home floor once again.
Duke vs. NC State Pick
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Article Author
Krabs is a contrarian bettor who isn’t afraid to fade the public or go against the grain. His betting style not only produces winners but has changed the way many think about the sports betting process. You’ll find Krabs betting on anything from the NFL (at a 60% clip in 2022) to the KBO (8-1-1 in 2022). You won’t find many handicappers with more college basketball knowledge or insight than Krabs. A native of the “DMV,” you can find his work @Krabs_Bets on Twitter, or on Behind the Lines, his daily sports betting show on twitch.