The 2021-22 college basketball season gets underway Tuesday with wall-to-wall action across the country. The headliner of the day is a doubleheader in the 2021 Champions Classic, with four of the top programs in the country taking the floor. The nightcap pits the Kentucky Wildcats against the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden. Both teams are aiming to bounce back from uneven performances in 2020-21, with top-flight recruits joining forces with returning talent and intriguing transfers on both sides.
Tipoff is at 9:30 p.m. ET in New York. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Blue Devils as one-point favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 148.5 in the latest Kentucky vs. Duke odds. Before making any Duke vs. Kentucky picks or college basketball predictions, you need to see what SportsLine’s advanced computer model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of $2,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kentucky vs. Duke and just locked in its coveted Champions Classic 2021 picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s CBB picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting trends for Kentucky vs. Duke:
- Kentucky vs. Duke spread: Duke -1
- Kentucky vs. Duke over-under: 148.5 points
- Kentucky vs. Duke money line: Duke -115, Kentucky -105
- KENT: The Wildcats were 7-16-2 against the spread in 2020-21
- DUKE: The Blue Devils were 9-15 against the spread last season
Featured Game | Duke Blue Devils vs. Kentucky Wildcats
Why Kentucky can cover
Despite suffering through a rough 2020-21 season, Kentucky’s roster is in great shape with loads of talent. TyTy Washington, one of the best shot creators in his high school class, leads an impressive group of incoming freshmen. Kentucky has incredible depth, and John Calipari also landed three notable transfers.
Former Georgia guard Sahvir Wheeler led the SEC in assists last season, averaging 7.4 per game, while also scoring 14.0 points per game. Davidson transfer Kellan Grady has four years of starting experience under his belt, averaging at least 17 points per game in each of his college campaigns. Finally, Oscar Tshiebwe arrives from West Virginia after averaging 10.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in 41 appearances. Few teams have as much established production on the roster.
Why Duke can cover
Like Kentucky, the Blue Devils struggled last season, but there were some positive takeaways from their disappointing performance. Duke finished in the top 20 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, including a 54.1 percent mark on 2-point attempts. The Blue Devils used size and athleticism to take advantage of the offensive glass, grabbing 32.2 percent of their own missed shots.
Duke also created havoc on defense. The Blue Devils produced nearly 12 percent block and steal rates for the full season, and Duke’s newly-arriving talent should augment the returning production. Paulo Banchero was one of the top recruits in the country, and the 6’10 forward should be Duke’s best player immediately. The Blue Devils also have strong returnees, with a potential breakout coming from sophomore center Mark Williams. Williams scored 13 points or more in the final four games last season, capped off by a 23-point, 19-rebound eruption in Duke’s season finale.
How to make Kentucky vs. Duke picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the point total, with only one player projected to score more than 14 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s Duke vs. Kentucky picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Kentucky vs. Duke? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Kentucky vs. Duke spread you need to jump on Tuesday, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
