NCAAB: #9 Duke vs #18 Michigan State Odds, and Picks (Nov 14)

• Duke came up just short against #12 Arizona, losing by a score of 78-73.
• Michigan State was stunned by James Madison, but then beat S. Indiana.
• These two teams last met on March 20, 2022, in a game Duke won 85-76.

The college basketball season is underway! Let’s preview the upcoming Duke vs Michigan State matchup. Both of these teams were upset last week, falling far in the rankings. They’ll seek redemption in this game.

How to Watch

• ESPN

Preview

Duke was defeated in their first ranked test of the season against Arizona. We predicted Arizona would get the upset, due to their offense outpacing an inexperienced Duke team. Even so, the Blue Devils took the game down to the wire. While the #2 ranking may have been an overestimation, this Duke team will still rank near the top. Sophomore C Kyle Flipowski led in scoring with 25 points and 8 rebounds in the defeat.

Michigan State was stunned in their opener by a scrappy James Madison team. They feel behind early on, but fought back into the game to force overtime. Despite the result ultimately being a loss, the Spartans showed grit after their poor start. They beat Southern Indiana in their second game, but will face a far more difficult challenge against Duke. A loss would knock Michigan State out of the rankings completely.

Prediction

Both of these teams had disappointing results in the first week. Duke’s loss came to the #12 team, which is why they only fell 7 spots in the poll. On the other hand, Michigan State’s loss to an unranked team cost them 14 spots. Duke’s defeat being far less bad also provides some insight into this matchup. I don’t see the Blue Devils blowing the Spartans out, but they should lead for most of this game, en route to a victory.

NCAAB Picks:

• Duke 79, Michigan State 72 ()