Arizona vs. Duke predictions, picks how to watch Friday’s game

One of the first marquee matchups of the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season will take place in Durham tonight as the No. 12 Arizona Wildcats hit the road to battle the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. ET from Cameron Indoor Stadium and the game will air on ESPN2.

Arizona (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) has no issue crushing Morgan State in its opener on Monday, cruising to a gigantic 122-59 beatdown. The Wildcats 55.3% from the field on offense and were able to create many scoring opportunities by forcing 25 turnovers in the big victory. Kylan Boswell led the preseason Pac-12 favorites with 18 points and five rebounds in the win.

Duke (1-0, 0-0 ACC) was also dominant in its season opener on Monday, blasting Dartmouth in a 92-54 rout. The Blue Devils shot an incredible 64.4% from the field while holding the Big Green to just 33.9% shooting for the evening. Preseason ACC Player of the Year Kyle Filipowski had a strong start to his sophomore campaign, coming away with 25 points and seven rebounds in the win.

Here’s some data about both teams, and a pick for the game!

Arizona: (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12)

RPI: 6
KenPom: 6 Overall, 4 Adjusted Offense, 23 Adjusted Defense
Against the spread: 1-0
Over: 1-0

Duke: (1-0, 0-0 ACC)

RPI: 6
KenPom: 8 Overall, 7 Adjusted Offense, 20 Adjusted Defense
Against the spread: 1-0
Over: 1-0

Odds

Spread: Duke -5.5
Total: 154.5
Moneyline: Duke -230, Arizona +190

The Pick

Over 154.5

After opening their seasons with virtual exhibitions on Monday, they’ll both get their first crack at playing top competition this evening. While it normally takes a few weeks for a team to establish its rhythm, I expect both of these conference favorites to trade haymakers this evening in what should be an entertaining early-season showdown. The battle in the paint between Oumar Ballo and Kyle Filipowski alone will be worth the price of admission. I’m taking the over at Cameron Indoor tonight.