The Blue Devils will rely an incoming class of talented freshmen to get revenge when No. 4 Duke faces the third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks in the opener of the 2019 Champions Classic on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Devils have won 19 straight season-openers and are 37-2 in those games under coach Mike Krzyzewski, but they have lost three in a row against Kansas. Super sophomore Devon Dotson and big man Udoka Azubuike will be a test for newcomers Vernon Carey and Matthew Hurt, who add size to Duke's starting lineup. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET in New York. The Jayhawks are two-point favorites in the latest Kansas vs. Duke odds after the line opened as a pick'em, while the over-under for total points scored is 152. Before entering any Duke vs. Kansas picks, you should consult the latest college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, crushed its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread last season, going 211-176 while returning $1,740 to $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, it has broken down Kansas vs. Duke. We can tell you it's leaning under, but it's also generated an extremely strong against the spread pick, saying one side of the spread cashes in nearly 70 percent of simulations. It's only available at SportsLine.
The model knows the Blue Devils are 9-4 against the spread in their last 13 games against Big 12 teams and will look to avenge two tough losses in their last two meetings with Kansas. The Jayhawks defeated Duke 85-81 in overtime in the 2018 Regional Final and knocked off the top-ranked but undermanned Blue Devils on a last-second jumper in this event in 2016.
Tre Jones is Duke's lone returning starter, but seniors Javin DeLaurier and Jack White remain part of the rotation. The Blue Devils will look to 6-foot-10 center Carey and 6-foot-9 forward Hurt to occupy the interior to open up things for the outside shooters, including White (27.8 percent on three-pointers last season) and Alex O'Connell (37.5). Joey Baker made six-of-eight three-pointers and scored 22 points in the final preseason game.
But just because the Blue Devils appear to have the edge in depth and talent doesn't mean they will cover the Kansas vs. Duke spread in the Champions Classic 2019.
Azubuike played just nine games last season due to an injury, but the 7-foot, 270-pound center is a major force inside for Kansas. Azubuike led the nation with a field goal percentage of 77 as a sophomore and averaged 13 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. His injury was a major reason why the Jayhawks, ranked No. 1 in the preseason last year, lost 10 games and bowed out on the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Dotson averaged 12.3 points and 3.5 assists as freshman and took on the No. 2 scoring role after Azubuike's injury, showing off his quickness and finishing ability. He was inconsistent, but shot 36.3 percent on three-pointers and should be more polished with a year under his belt. The Jayhawks have two other big men in Silvio De Sousa, who was ineligible last season, and former McDonald's All-American David McCormack, who averaged 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds.
So who wins Kansas vs. Duke? And which side of the spread is hitting nearly 70 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Kansas vs. Duke spread is a must-back on Tuesday, all from the advanced model that is on a 211-176 run on its top-rated college basketball picks.
