- Duke ran over Vermont on Friday night while James Madison upset Wisconsin
- The Blue Devils head into their second-round matchup as sizable favorites
- See the opening James Madison vs Duke odds, including point spread, game total, and moneyline
The #4 Duke Blue Devils made short work of #13 Vermont on Friday night, running away with a 64-47 victory. The Blue Devils advance to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament where they will face the #12 James Madison Dukes on Sunday, March 24, at the Barclays Center in New York.
The opening James Madison vs Duke odds favor the Blue Devils, and it’s not particularly close.
James Madison vs Duke Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Madison Dukes | +7.5 (-110) | +260 | O 149.5 (-110) |
| Duke Blue Devils | -7.5 (-110) | -315 | U 149.5 (-110) |
The Blue Devils are 7.5-point favorites over JMU and -315 on the moneyline. James Madison, which was a 4.5-point underdog to Wisconsin, comes back at +260 to reach its first ever Sweet 16.
Odds as of March 23 at DraftKings.
Duke Makes Quick Work of Vermont
A 12.5-point favorite over the Catamounts, Duke took a five-point lead into the break after a tight first half before running away with a 64-47 victory in the second half. Four of five starters finished in double-figures for the Blue Devils, ironically everyone except leading scorer Kyle Filipowski, who scored just three points and finished with only one field-goal attempt in 37 minutes, though he did grab a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Blue Devils didn’t shoot particularly well from the field (19-of-45, 42%) but they got to the free-throw line 29 times, outscoring Vermont 22-2 from the stripe.
The win stemmed a two-game losing streak for the Blue Devils, who fell to arch-rival UNC at home in the last game of the regular season (84-79) and then bowed out in their first game of the ACC Tournament to eventual-champion NC State (74-69).
James Madison Runs Over Wisconsin
A popular upset pick, the #12 Dukes didn’t let their backers down in the first round. JMU raced out to a 33-20 halftime lead over the Badgers and led by at least six for the entirety of the second half. It wasn’t the best offensive performance for the Dukes, who averaged 84.4 this year. Leading scorer Terrence Edwards had a team-high 14 points but was just 5-of-13 from the field.
But the Dukes’ defense was impeccable; JMU forced 19 Wisconsin turnovers and held the Badgers under 40% from the field.
A 4.5-point underdog to Wisconsin, James Madison easily covered, improving its ATS record to 19-14-1 overall and 3-1 in the rare occasions when they’ve been catching points.
The win improved JMU’s straight-up record to 32-3, which is tied with UConn for the most wins in the nation. Including a season-opening upset of Michigan State (79-76 OT away), the Dukes are now 2-0 against top-50 teams, but only 2-2 against top-100 teams, factoring a pair of losses to App State in Sun Belt play.
Other than a First Four win as a #16 seed in 2013, the win over Wisconsin was JMU’s first in the NCAA Tournament since 1983.
The winner of Sunday’s JMU vs Duke matchup will face the winner of #9 Texas A&M vs #1 Houston in the Sweet 16 of the March Madness bracket.
The Round of 32 in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is set to feature an exciting matchup between James Madison and Duke. As the two teams prepare to face off, fans and bettors alike are eagerly anticipating the opening odds for the point spread, moneyline, and game total.
In terms of the point spread, Duke is expected to be the favorite in this matchup. The Blue Devils have had a strong season, finishing with an impressive record and earning a high seed in the tournament. On the other hand, James Madison has had a solid season as well, but they are considered the underdog in this game. The point spread will likely reflect this disparity in talent, with Duke being favored by a certain number of points.
As for the moneyline, Duke is also expected to be the favorite. The moneyline represents the odds of a team winning the game outright, regardless of the point spread. In this case, Duke is likely to have shorter odds on the moneyline, meaning that bettors would need to wager more money on the Blue Devils in order to win a smaller payout. Conversely, James Madison is expected to have longer odds on the moneyline, offering a larger potential payout for those who bet on the underdog.
Finally, the game total represents the combined number of points scored by both teams in the game. The opening total for this matchup will depend on factors such as each team’s offensive and defensive capabilities, as well as their playing styles. Duke is known for their high-scoring offense, while James Madison has a strong defense, so the total may be set at a moderate number to account for these contrasting styles.
Overall, the opening odds for the Round of 32 matchup between James Madison and Duke are sure to generate plenty of interest and excitement among fans and bettors. As the game approaches, be sure to keep an eye on any line movements and updates to make informed decisions when placing your bets.
