Texas Tech vs Duke Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 59-53 in the Round of 32.
• The Duke Blue Devils beat the Michigan State Spartans 85-76 in the Second Round.
• Duke beat Texas Tech 69-58 when they last played.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Duke Blue Devils Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook

The Texas Tech Red Raider will take on the ACC powerhouse Duke Blue Devils in this Sweet 16 game. Texas Tech faced Duke one time before in 2018. Duke won that game 69-58.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders had a strong season but could not win the Big 12 regular season title. They finished the year with 27 wins and went 12-6 in conference play.

Texas Tech had an easy First Round matchup in the Montana State Bobcats. They came out hot with a 52-point first half and won the game 97-62. All of the starters scored double-digit points, but Terrance Shannon Jr. and Bryson Williams stood out. They both scored 20 points, and Shannon Jr. had six assists and two blocks.

The Red Raiders did not have the most difficult Second Round matchup in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but it was more difficult than their First Round game. Texas Tech only shot 35% from the field but won 59-53. Kevin Obanor led his team in scoring with 15 points. He also had 15 rebounds and one block.

Texas Tech has arguably the best defense in the nation. They give up 60.2 points per game, the least of all Power Five teams.

The Duke Blue Devils are ranked ninth in the nation and had a 30-win season. They suffered a late-season loss to the unranked UNC Tar Heels but still went 16-4 in conference play.

Duke, like Texas Tech, had an easy First Round game. They played the Cal State Fullerton Titans and won 78-61. All of the Blue Devils’ starters scored ten points or more, but Paolo Banchero stood out with his 17-point, 10-rebound, 4-assist, 2-block game.

The Blue Devils had a significantly harder game against the Michigan State Spartans in the Second Round. Paolo Banchero played outstanding basketball and led the team in scoring with 19 points. He shot 8-14 and also grabbed seven rebounds.

The Blue Devils have a great roster but are facing a Texas Tech team that plays dominant defense. This game will be close, but Texas Tech will squeak out the victory.

Pick:

Texas Tech beats Duke 72-69. Texas Tech covers, Over 135.5 points.

Head-to-Head: Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Duke Blue Devils

Why Might the Texas Tech Red Raiders Win?

The Red Raiders are the one-point favorites in this matchup. They can win this game if they hit three-pointers and protect the rim.

Texas Tech has a great defense but not a great offense. They do not shoot well from behind the three-point line and only hit 31.4% of their deep shots. They need to get open outside shots and hit them. If Duke builds a lead, Texas Tech will be able to keep up with them by hitting three-pointers.

Texas Tech is not a small team, but they lack some size. They need to protect the rim against this Duke squad. Duke is not a big team, but they can burn you at the hoop with their speed.

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Why Might the Duke Blue Devils Win?

The Duke Blue Devils are the underdogs but have a more offensively talented team than Texas Tech. They will not be able to match Texas Tech’s defense, so they need to score many points. The Blue Devils need to draw fouls and get offensive rebounds to win this game.

The Blue Devils shoot pretty well from the free-throw line; they hit 72.9% of their free-throw attempts. They need to draw fouls and get to the line as much as possible. They can get a lot of easy points that way.

Duke does not have one standout rebounder, but they rebound well as a team. They average 38.3 rebounds a game. Of those 38.3 rebounds, a little over ten of them come on the offensive glass. They need to grab as many offensive rebounds as they can this game. If they do, they will give themselves more scoring opportunities.

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Red Raiders Key Player: (F) Kevin Obanor

Obanor did not have an extraordinary season. He averaged 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds. However, he came up big in Texas Tech’s last game with his 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Obanor needs to have another massive game against Duke. He has to fight for every board and take good shots.

Blue Devils Key Player: (F) Paolo Banchero

Paolo Banchero is having an outstanding March Madness. He is averaging 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks.

Banchero needs to have another big game on both sides of the ball against Texas Tech. The 6’10” forward has to hit his shots, grab rebounds, and get the occasional block.

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