Cal State Fullerton vs. Duke Odds, Picks, Predictions: Blue Devils Blowout In NCAA Tournament First Round?
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Paolo Banchero (Duke)
- Coach K's retirement tour rolls on with Duke set to face Cal State Fullerton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
- With the 2-seeded Duke a big favorite against the 15-seeded CSU Fullerton, can you bet on a blowout?
- Our college basketball betting analysts break down their picks and predictions based on the odds.
Cal State Fullerton vs. Duke Odds
| Cal State Fullerton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+18.5 -110 | 145 -110o / -110u | +1400 |
| Duke Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-18.5 -110 | 145 -110o / -110u | -4000 |
The No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils (28-6, 16-4 in the ACC) take on the No. 15 seed Cal State Fullerton Titans (21-10, 12-5 in the Big West) in Greenville, South Carolina.
After winning the ACC regular season championship and losing in the ACC Tournament, Duke will be making its 44th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Coach K boasts a 76% career winning percentage in the event.
After narrowly defeating Long Beach State, 72-71, in the Big West Conference Championship, Cal State Fullerton will be making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The two programs have never met on the hardwood before, however, Duke is 4-0 all-time against Big West opponents.
Will the Cal State Fullerton defense be enough to stop a storied Duke program in the first round? Or will the powerhouse Blue Devils offense make quick work of the Titans?
Cal State Fullerton Titans
By Keg
After a one-point victory over Long Beach State in the Big West Championship, the Titans earned their first NCAA Tournament berth in five years. It was quite an impressive campaign for the Titans, who ended their regular season second in the conference before winning three games in three days to secure a bid.
Fullerton ranks outside the top 200 in pace of play, but was able to slow down Long Beach State in the conference final. It may be able to do the same against a Duke team that plays at an average pace.
The Titans are not a particularly great shooting team, but they are led by the second-ranked scorer in the Big West, E.J. Anosike. The Sacred Heart and Tennessee transfer averages 16.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
The team as a whole is consistent from the charity stripe, making 76.4% of attempts.
Unfortunately, on the defensive end, CSF has some issues that a team like Duke can take serious advantage of. The Titans are one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to defending the 3, allowing opposing squads to hit 37.1% from beyond the arc.
However, they are good at forcing turnovers, which is something they'll need to do if they want to have any chance of keeping it close against the Blue Devils.
The Titans are led by a strong group of upperclassmen, with four seniors in the rotation. What they lack in talent against this Duke team is made up for in experience, as they are one of the most veteran-centric programs in the tourney.
Duke Blue Devils
Oh lordy, how the mighty have fallen.
The clear-cut favorite to run through the ACC stumbled and fell off the throne hard when it started to matter most.
As if losing to UNC in dominant fashion in Coach K’s last home game wasn’t alarming enough, Duke’s performances against Syracuse, Miami and Virginia Tech signal for a code red.
Don’t get it twisted, Duke is still loaded with talent and possesses one of the most dominant and versatile offenses in the nation. The Blue Devils have five weapons on the court at all times that need to be accounted for.
Potential top-3 pick Paolo Banchero was already a tough enough assignment, but he has taken more command of the offense, having it fluidly run through him. His vision has drastically improved, which helps stretch defenses thin and allows for him to capitalize on isolations.
This game sets up nicely for a much-needed Duke bounce-back. If it can limit turnovers, then there should be no shortage of points scored on its end.
The Blue Devils will benefit from open looks all game, as CSF is one of the worst teams at defending the 3, and has little to no options to neutralize Paolo.
Cal State Fullerton vs. Duke Betting Pick
The stage is set for Duke to make quick work of Cal State Fullerton. The Blue Devils AdjEM of 25.0 is far superior to Cal State Fullerton’s -0.9.
The dynamo Duke offense enters the game with an AdjO of 120.1 points per 100 possessions, which ranks fourth in the nation. This compares to Cal State Fullerton’s AdjO of 102 points, which ranks 178th in the nation.
The Duke defense shouldn’t have an issue shutting down a Cal State Fullerton offense that ranks 216th in the nation in effective field goal percentage.
I am projecting Duke as 23.94-point favorites in the matchup. The Blue Devils’ offense will be a different type of beast for the Titans to handle.
Look for Duke to roll easily in this matchup on the Coach K farewell tour.
Pick: Duke -18.5 (Play to -19)
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