Predictions and Opening Odds for Arizona vs Duke in the Sweet 16 Matchup

• The East Region #1 Duke Blue Devils will face the # in the March Madness Sweet 16
• Duke won its first two games by a combined 67 points
• See the opening Arizona vs Duke odds for the 2025 Sweet 16, including the spread, game total, and moneyline

The #1 Duke Blue Devils (33-3, 24-12 ATS) had no issue reaching the second weekend in the East Region of the March Madness bracket, winning their first two games by 44 and 23 points. Their job gets tougher in the Sweet 16, though, as the Blue Devils are set to face the #4 Arizona Wildcats (24-12, 19-17 ATS) on Thursday, March 27th, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The top-rated and top-ranked team in the country, Duke has, of course, opened as the betting favorite.

Opening Arizona vs Duke Odds

Duke heads into the Sweet 16 as the biggest favorite in any of the eight games, laying 9.5 points against Arizona. On the moneyline, the Blue Devils are short

Odds as of March 23 at BetMGM. Check out SBD’s latest list of PayPal betting sites.

The total has opened at 153.5 with -110 odds on both the over and the under.

After blowing out overmatched #16 Mount Saint Mary’s in the first round (93-49) on the strength of 19 points and five assists from 6’6 junior guard Tyrese Proctor, Duke had no issue routing #9 Baylor in the second round (89-66) as 12.5-point favorites. Proctor again had a team-high 25 points while 6’6 freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, the presumed #1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft and the favorite in the Wooden Award odds for national player of the year, stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds, and six dimes.

Thursday’s game will be a rematch from early in the regular season when the Blue Devils stomped Arizona 69-55 in a true-road game in Tucson on November 22nd as 1.5-point road underdogs.

Arizona vs Duke Analytics Comparison

Duke is the top-rated team at both KenPom and Haslametrics, sitting first in offensive efficiency and fourth on defense. The Wildcats are 13th overall at both sites (but as high as 10th at Torvik) with the 12th-rated offense and 28th-rated defense.

Arizona dominated #13 Akron (93-65) in the first round, getting a game-high 19 points plus six rebounds, three assists, and two steals from 6’3 junior guard Jaden Bradley (12.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.7 APG). The Wildcats cruised despite a quiet night offensively from leading scorer Caleb Love (16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.5 APG), who had just 10 points in 25 minutes.

Love was huge in the second round against #5 Oregon, however. His 29-point, nine-rebound, four-assist performance was the catalyst in Arizona’s narrow 87-83 victory over the Ducks. Four other Wildcats scored in double-figures, led by a huge 12-point, 14-round double-double from 6’8 junior forward Tobe Awaka (8.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG).

Arizona vs Duke Score Predictions

The three main college basketball analytics website are in basic agreement on the projected Arizona vs Duke score. Haslam has the widest margin of victory for the Blue Devils (+8.2 points) while KenPom has it at eight and Torvik at seven. The total ranges from 153 to 154.2, which spans the actual game total of 153.5. The first meeting between the teams saw just 124 points scored over the full 40 minutes.

The Sweet 16 matchup between Arizona and Duke is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated games of the NCAA tournament. Both teams have had impressive runs so far, with Arizona coming off a dominant win over TCU and Duke narrowly escaping a close game against Michigan State.

Looking at the opening odds for this matchup, Duke is currently favored by 3 points. This isn’t surprising given Duke’s strong performance throughout the season and their star-studded lineup, which includes players like Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin. However, Arizona shouldn’t be counted out just yet. The Wildcats have been playing some of their best basketball in recent weeks, and their depth and defensive prowess could pose a challenge for Duke.

In terms of predictions, this game is expected to be a close one. Both teams have the talent and coaching to make a deep run in the tournament, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see this game come down to the wire. Duke’s ability to score in bunches and Arizona’s tenacity on defense make for an intriguing matchup that could go either way.

Ultimately, it will come down to which team can execute their game plan and make key plays in crucial moments. Arizona will need to contain Duke’s high-powered offense and limit their second-chance opportunities, while Duke will need to find ways to break through Arizona’s tough defense and capitalize on their scoring chances.

No matter the outcome, this Sweet 16 matchup is sure to be a thrilling game that fans won’t want to miss. Be sure to tune in to see which team comes out on top and advances to the Elite Eight.