Two of the best programs in the country will face off on Sunday, March 23; the Duke Blue Devils will play the Baylor Bears with a Sweet Sixteen birth on the line at 2:40 p.m. ET. Baylor beat No. 9 Mississippi State 75-72, while Duke defeated Mount St. Mary’s by 44 points in the Round of 64.
This is the third time that Baylor and Duke will play each other. The Blue Devils lead the series 2-0 over the Bears, with the latest victory coming in December 2023. Here is my favorite pick for Saturday’s matchup between Duke vs. Baylor.
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Duke vs. Baylor (2:40 p.m. ET)
Although Baylor only beat the Bulldogs by three points, the Bears had four players who scored double-digit points. Freshman guard Robert Wright III has had an up-and-down season but led the team with 19 points on Friday. Duke star Cooper Flagg played 22 minutes against Mount St. Mary’s and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Duke will have the best player in this matchup with Flagg, but Baylor has the advantage in the backcourt. Freshman VJ Edgecombe, Wright, Langston Love, and Jeremy Roach are essential for the Bears’ success. Baylor is 4-2 in their previous six games. Although Duke has won 12 straight games, this line is too high. Duke is a -12.5 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Blue Devils haven’t covered this spread against their last three power-five opponents. Baylor’s previous six losses were all by 12 points or fewer. In their first-round matchup, Baylor only shot 25 percent on three-pointers, and that will need to be improved against Duke. If Baylor can hold Flagg under 20 points, they will have a chance to win this game. Duke center Khaman Maluach has had a good first season but has been inconsistent. Baylor big man VJ Edgecombe has had 10 double-doubles in a row and is an x-factor in this matchup.
College Basketball Pick: Baylor +12.5
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