Auburn-Duke Betting Preview: Can Tigers Hang With Zion Williamson & Co.?

While we're only in November, Auburn-Duke provides a March-like feel to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.

Which team should you side with? Let's breakdown the highly-anticipated duel between two top-10 programs.

Auburn-Duke Betting

• Spread: Duke -10.5
• Over/under: 168.5
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

Much of Auburn's hopes for an upset — and a cover for its backers — depend on junior Jared Harper. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound point guard must be able to stick with Tre Jones, one of Duke's heralded freshmen.

If he requires help on Jones' drives, R.J. Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish already have a major advantage.

Harper exhibited his defensive tenacity in the Tigers' overtime win over Xavier, notching a team-high three steals and pressuring Musketeers point guard Quentin Goodin into seven turnovers. Even if Harper manages to frustrate Jones, the Blue Devils can be extremely successful with the ball in either Barrett and Williamson's hands.

Barrett and Williamson are dangerous because of their prowess for attacking the lane or drilling jumpers, ranking ninth and 104th across college basketball in Possession Rate, respectively.

The 6-foot-7, 287-pound Williamson also owns a ridiculous 76.0 Effective Field Goal Percentage. Beyond the 6-foot-7 Anfernee McLeMore, Auburn (3-0-1 against the spread) doesn't have a defensive stopper to matchup with Duke's length and athleticism.

Harper (15.0 PPG) and fellow Tigers' guard Bryce Brown (13.7 PPG) must push the tempo to keep pace, too, which requires the Tigers' defense to step up on the glass. Duke (3-1 ATS) struggled to pull away from Army for much of their contest on Nov. 11 because of the Black Knights' ability to notch one-and-done stops and leak out in transition.

The Blue Devils collected a season-low 12 offensive rebounds in their 22-point win, and Army cashed in with a respectable 0.92 points per possession for its standing. Nevertheless, Duke has generated a 39.2 Offensive Rebounding Percentage — No. 23 in Division I — and Auburn struggled in that department against Xavier, yielding 16 offensive boards and while getting out-rebounded 42-35 overall.

Bruce Pearl's unit has thrived from the perimeter, especially on the break, boasting a 56.0 eFG%. If the Tigers control the pace early, we'll likely witness a high-scoring affair out of the gate.

Once the Blue Devils' athleticism takes over, they'll clamp down around the arc (opponents are shooting just 28.7% of their 3s). Harper has also delivered questionable shot selection down the stretch of games.

According to our Bet Labs' data, the Blue Devils are 4-5 (44.4%) ATS while laying at least eight points in neutral site games over the last four seasons — when Duke began signing more and more one-and-done players.

Expect Mike Krzyzewski's bunch to turn the tide in its second matchup of the Maui Invitational.

THE PICK: Duke -10.5