Washington Huskies vs #5 Duke Blue Devils
Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
Saturday, December 10, 2011, 12:00 pm Eastern, TV: CBS
Opening Line: Duke -7 1/2
Current Line: Duke -8
Opening Total: 156
Current Total: 154
Opening Money Line: Duke -360 / Washington +300
Current Money Line: Duke -420 / Washington +310
The 4-3 Washington Huskies are playing their second consecutive game in Madison Square Garden after they lost to #11 Marquette 79-77 Tuesday night as part of the Jimmy V Classic. It doesn’t get any easier for the Huskies as they take on the #5 Duke Blue Devils Saturday afternoon in the Carquest Auto Parts Classic. Duke is 8-1 this season with the only loss coming at #2 Ohio St 85-63. The Blue Devils won the Maui Invitational with wins over Tennessee, Michigan, and Kansas. Duke leads the series 4-1 all-time against Washington. The Blue Devils have won 3 straight in the series but the two teams haven’t played each other since 1989.
Washington was a 7.5 point underdog to Marquette Tuesday night on the college basketball betting line. Washington jumped out to an early 11-3 lead, but the game was back and forth from that point on. Marquette took a 37-34 lead going into halftime. The final 12 minutes of the game featured 15 lead changes and 4 ties. Washington took a 77-76 lead with 15 seconds to go on a drive to the lane from Terrance Ross who was guarded by 2 players. Marquette forward Jae Crowder buried a 3 pointer with 6 seconds to go to give the Golden Eagles a 79-77 lead. Husky guard Abdul Gaddy missed a three pointer as time expired to make it final. Washington had 46 rebounds to Marquette’s 32, including 18-11 on the offensive boards. Washington led in second chance points 19-6, but Marquette forced 16 turnovers and had 10 points off those. Marquette was 19/27 on free throws, while Washington was only 5/10. Ross had 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, a block and a steal.
Washington scores 80 points a game and gives up 72. Washington shoots 47% from the field including 40.8% from three point range. The Huskies make 61.2% of their free throws. Washington averages 43.1 rebounds a game and opponents average 35.9. The Huskies average 15.4 assists, 15.6 turnovers, 7.1 steals, and 6 blocks a game. Husky opponents are shooting 40.7% from the field, including 37.1% from 3 point range.
Ross leads the Huskies in scoring with 16.6 points a game, and averages 7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks a game. C.J. Wilcox averages 15.7 points, 4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.9 steals to tie for the team lead, and 1.3 blocks a game. Tony Wroten averages 13 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.9 steals a game to lead the team. Gant averages 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists a game. Gaddy averages 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists to lead the team. Center Aziz N’Diaye averages 7.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks a game. He leads the team in rebounds and blocks. Guard Scott Suggs is out indefinitely with a toe injury but hasn’t played this season. Last season he averaged 7.4 points a game.
Wednesday night Duke hosted Colorado St. Duke jumped out to a 47-30 lead at halftime. Duke could never rally pull away in the second half allowing Colorado St to hang around the 22.5 point spread. Duke ended up winning 87-64 to cover by a half point. The Blue Devils shot 31/55 from the field including 7/21 from 3 point range. Duke was 18/29 from the free throw line. Duke had 34 rebounds, 21 assists, 8 steals, 9 blocks and 9 turnovers. Duke Guard Austin Rivers scored 17 points in the win. Forward Mason Plumlee had 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 5 blocks. Andre Dawkins added 15 points and Miles Plumlee had 14 points, both off the bench. Colorado St shot 24/59 from the field, including 4/11 from three point range.
Duke is outscoring opponents 78-69 this season. The Blue Devils shoot 47.8% from the field, including 40.2% from 3 point range. The Blue Devils make 67.8% of their free throws. Duke averages 37.1 rebounds a game, and has a rebounding margin of +0.9. Duke averages 13.7 assists and 14.7 turnovers a game. Duke averages 7.8 steals and 3.9 blocks a game. Duke opponents are shooting 44.2% from the field including 34.8% from 3 point range.
Rivers averages 15.6 points to lead the team, 2.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and a steal per game. Seth Curry averages 13.1 points, 3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.4 steals a game. Curry leads the Blue Devils in assists and steals. Ryan Kelly averages 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Mason Plumlee averages 12.2 points, 9.8 rebounds to lead the team, 2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks a game to lead the team. Dawkins and Miles Plumlee also score significant points for Duke.
Duke is 4-5 against the spread this season, and 7 of the 9 games have gone over. Washington is 3-3 ATS, and the total is 5-1 this season. The Huskies are 5-0 ATS as an underdog of 7-12.5 points, 4-1 against ACC teams, 4-1 in neutral site games as an underdog, 3-1-1 as an underdog, 13-5-1 in Saturday games, 9-4-1 in non-conference games, 3-8 against teams with winning records, and 1-5 after a cover. The Blue Devils are 5-1 ATS against Pac 10/12 teams, 1-6 after a straight up win of more than 20 points, and 0-5 as a favorite of 7-12.5 points.
After a 3-0 start against cupcakes, Washington has since dropped 3 of the last 4 to stiffer competition. Duke is the most talented team Washington has faced so far, though Marquette was a good test in the last game. Duke should win this pretty handily and I like it to go over the total.
