Arizona vs Duke Prediction & Picks: Will Filipowski Fuel the Blue Devils at Cameron?

Tonight’s college basketball schedule features a number of interesting matchups, but the headliner of the evening sees Kyle Filipowski and #2 Duke welcome #12 Arizona to Cameron Indoor Stadium (7:00 pm ET, ESPN2).

This is the first of four high-profile non-conference games for the Blue Devils (1-0), who opened the season with a 92-54 win over Dartmouth on Monday. Next week, Duke will take on Michigan State in the Champions Classic in Chicago, and there’s also a trip to Arkansas (November 29) and a matchup with Baylor at Madison Square Garden (December 20) before they dive fully into ACC play.

For Arizona (1-0), who opened the season with a 122-59 rout of Morgan State on Monday, this is the first of several challenging non-conference contests.

The Wildcats will meet Michigan State in the Acrisure Classic on Thanksgiving Day, and their pre-conference slate will round out next month with a home game against Wisconsin (12/9) and neutral-site games against Purdue (12/16), Alabama (12/20), and FAU (12/23).

This will be the tenth all-time meeting between two of the most renowned programs in college basketball, with Arizona holding a 5-4 lead after winning the most recent meetings in 2011 (in the Sweet Sixteen of that year’s NCAA Tournament) and 2013.

Who will come out on top tonight in Durham? The Blue Devils are favored by a healthy margin, but the high-scoring Wildcats possess a lot of weapons that will have to be accounted for, including one that is rather familiar.

Arizona vs Duke Odds

Odds are courtesy of Bovada.

Spread

• Arizona +5.5 (-115)
• Duke -5.5 (-105)

Over/Under

• Over 154.5 (-110)
• Under 154.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Arizona +185
• Duke -225

Can Arizona Overwhelm Duke With Offense?

Last season, Duke’s ultimate undoing was a lack of consistent offense. If they are to fulfill high expectations for this season, they will have to score more, and tonight’s game is a good test of how far they have come on the offensive end with a year of growth for their returnees and the additions from a stellar recruiting class.

But one thing the Blue Devils are not likely to want to do is get caught up in a game that goes well into the 80s or beyond. That would be ideal for over bettors, of course, but between the two teams, such an outcome would certainly suit Arizona better.

In their opener against Morgan State, the Wildcats shot 55.3% from the field overall and 44.4% from three. Eight players reached double figures, including all five starters.

One of the eight was new Wildcat Caleb Love, who made his way from Tar Heel country to Tucson after his original planned transfer from North Carolina to Michigan didn’t work out.

In his Arizona debut, Love had ten points, three rebounds, and four assists, but he will be counted on for a bit more tonight in a familiar venue against a familiar opponent.

In his three seasons at UNC, Love was 5-2 against the Blue Devils, including a 2-1 mark at Cameron Indoor Stadium. As a freshman, he had 25 points in a 91-87 there, and he helped spoil both Coach K’s final home game (22 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a 94-81 win) and final game (28 points in a Final Four semifinal win).

As ever, the question with Love is which one will show up tonight. Perhaps the venue and opposition will bring out his best, which could spell serious trouble for Duke. But if he starts misfiring early, it could be a long night for both he and Arizona. Sure, they have plenty of scoring options, but you want your most dangerous scorers to deliver in games like these.

Arizona vs Duke Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Duke to win

Picks: Arizona/Duke over 154.5 (-110 at Bovada)