The ACC Tournament champion and No. 5 seed Duke Blue Devils open their 2023 NCAA Tournament against the Summit League champion and No. 12 seed Oral Roberts Golden Eagles in a first-round East Region matchup on Thursday. The Blue Devils (26-8), who finished 14-6 in ACC play, have won 12 of 14, including their last nine games. The Golden Eagles (30-4) have not lost since Jan. 9, a stretch of 17 games. Oral Roberts is making its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance and second in three seasons, while the Blue Devils are making their 45th appearance, and second in a row.
The game from the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., will tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. Oral Roberts is averaging 84.2 points per game, while Duke averages 72.5. The Blue Devils are 6-point favorites in the latest Oral Roberts vs. Duke odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 146. Before making any Duke vs. Oral Roberts picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the 2023 NCAA Tournament 79-53 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,300 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Duke vs. Oral Roberts and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Oral Roberts vs. Duke:
- Duke vs. Oral Roberts spread: Duke -6
- Duke vs. Oral Roberts over/under: 146 points
- Duke vs. Oral Roberts money line: Oral Roberts +215, Duke -267
- ORU: The Golden Eagles are 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 neutral site games
- DUKE: The Blue Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall
- Duke vs. Oral Roberts picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Duke can cover
Freshman guard Tyrese Proctor is one of five Blue Devils averaging eight points or more. In 34 games, including 32 starts, Proctor is averaging 9.3 points, 3.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. He has reached double-digit scoring in six of the last seven games, including an 11-point and 10-assist game in a 96-69 win over Pittsburgh in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. It was his second double-double of the year, after he scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 92-58 win over Delaware on Nov. 18.
Freshman forward Mark Mitchell also helps power the Blue Devils. He has reached double-digit scoring in six of the past seven games and 16 times this season. In 34 games, all starts, Mitchell is averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 27 minutes of action. He is connecting on 47.4% of his field goals, including 36.5% from 3-point range, and 76.3% from the free-throw line.
Why Oral Roberts can cover
The Eagles are led by senior guard Max Abmas, who is coming off a 26-point and 11-assist performance in the Summit League title game win over North Dakota State. It was his second double-double of the year. He scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists in the 70-65 semifinal victory over St. Thomas (MN). He has scored 30 or more points four times, including a season-high 36 against UMKC in a 74-71 win on Jan. 7. For the year, he is averaging 22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, four assists and 1.1 steals per game.
Senior forward Connor Vanover is also a big reason for Oral Roberts' success. In 33 games, all starts, the Arkansas transfer averages 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in 25.8 minutes of action. He registered back-to-back double-doubles in the Summit League Tournament semifinals and finals. Vanover had 17 points and 11 rebounds against St. Thomas, and 10 points and 10 rebounds vs. North Dakota State. He's had seven double-doubles on the year.
How to make Oral Roberts vs. Duke picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 150 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 60% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Duke vs. Oral Roberts? And which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
