Who’s Playing
Michigan State @ Duke
Regular Season Records: Michigan State 23-12; Duke 29-6
What to Know
The #9 Duke Blue Devils and the Michigan State Spartans are set to clash at 5:15 p.m. ET March 20 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils will be seeking to avenge the 75-69 loss they suffered the last time these two teams played Dec. 1 of 2020.
The Cal State Fullerton Titans typically have all the answers at home, but this past Friday Duke proved too difficult a challenge. Duke strolled past the Titans with points to spare, taking the game 78-61. It was another big night for Duke’s center Mark Williams, who had 15 points and five assists along with seven rebounds and five blocks.
Meanwhile, MSU earned some postseason bragging rights after a successful outing this past Friday. They escaped with a win against the Davidson Wildcats by the margin of a single free throw, 74-73. Forward Joey Hauser was the offensive standout of the matchup for MSU, picking up 27 points in addition to eight boards.
The Blue Devils are the favorite in this one, with an expected 6.5-point margin of victory. They have failed bettors playing the spread in their past five games, so buyers beware.
A couple stats to keep an eye on: Duke comes into the contest boasting the ninth most blocked shots per game in college basketball at 5.7. The Spartans are not quite as good, but they are no chumps, either: they enter the matchup with five blocked shots per game on average, good for 20th best in college basketball. Points in the paint might be hard to come by.
How To Watch
- When: Sunday at 5:15 p.m. ET
- Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena — Greenville, South Carolina
- TV: CBS
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Blue Devils are a solid 6.5-point favorite against the Spartans, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 6.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -113
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Series History
Duke have won three out of their last five games against Michigan State.
- Dec 01, 2020 – Michigan State 75 vs. Duke 69
- Dec 03, 2019 – Duke 87 vs. Michigan State 75
- Mar 31, 2019 – Michigan State 68 vs. Duke 67
- Nov 14, 2017 – Duke 88 vs. Michigan State 81
- Nov 29, 2016 – Duke 78 vs. Michigan State 69
