Temple Duke Betting –Blue Devils Win 35th Straight At Cameron, Roll Over Owls
Sports betting players know the power of home court advantage in the NCAA, and Duke knows this all too well as they currently lead the country in terms of consecutive victories at home. The Blue Devils will use their strength in the post to grind down Temple on Wednesday, and they’ll extend their dominance at Cameron.
- What: NCAA Basketball Betting
- When: Wednesday, February 23rd, 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC
- Pick: Duke Blue Devils
Why Bet On Temple (21-5, 11-2 Atlantic 10)
The No.24 Owls have won eight in a row, and only two of those losses came by less than 10 points, so they’re feeling good about themselves right now. Junior guard Ramone Moore (15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds) leads the team offensively, and while Temple is no juggernaut on that end of the floor (124th in points scored), they’re a solid team who shoots well (88th in field-goal percentage) and they don’t turn the ball over (18th in assist-to-turnover). Senior forward Lavoy Allen (10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds) is the leading rebounder in Temple history, and he is their best big man on either end of the floor as junior center Michael Eric has been lost for the season with a knee injury. The Owls will also need a big game from junior swingman Scootie Randall (11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds), who sat out Sunday’s win over St. Joseph’s because of a fracture in his right foot, but he should be fine for this huge game.
Temple is a good rebounding team (110th in total rebounds, 57th in rebounding margin), but the Owls will have their hands full dealing with Duke’s inside players with Eric on the sideline. They do have a little size with the 6’6” Randall and sophomore forward Rahlir Jefferson (5.6 points, 5.1 rebounds), but the entire team is going to have to hit the glass for Temple when they head to Cameron.
Why Bet On Duke (25-2, 12-1 ACC)
The top team in the nation for the second time this season, the No.1 Blue Devils will get to defend their ranking at home this time after they lost at Florida State the first time, and Duke has been unstoppable at Cameron, winning 34 consecutive games at home, the longest current streak in the nation. The Blue Devils have been romping over teams in a six-game streak since losing at St. John’s, winning five by 10 points or more (the other game was a massive comeback against rival North Carolina). The Blue Devils lead the country in scoring margin (19.0 points), they’re seventh in points scored, and being Duke of course, they’re deadly from three-point range (17th in three-pointers, 19th in three-point percentage). Senior guard Nolan Smith (21.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists) has likely wrapped up the ACC Player of the Year, while senior forward Kyle Singler (16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds) has been playing wingman. The junior forward duo of Mason (7.3 points, 8.7 rebounds) and Miles (4.8 points, 4.7 rebounds) Plumlee are the forces for Duke in the post, but a major reason for their success has been the play of sophomore guard Seth Curry (9.0 points, 2.1 assists). He’s not freshman stud Kyrie Irving, who probably won’t play again because of his foot injury, but Curry has stepped up to fill most of those minutes.
NCAA basketball betting players know the blueprint for beating Duke: be physical. Florida State did it, North Carolina did it in the first half of their trip to Durham and Georgia Tech did it in the first half of their 22-point loss on Sunday. But the problem is sustaining that approach, especially at Cameron where the fans never stop, no matter what the score is. If you can force turnovers and get out in the open floor, you stand a good chance of beating the Blue Devils.
How The Game Will Play Out
Duke will definitely be the NCAA basketball betting favorites in this non-conference clash, but these two programs are familiar with each other, having played nine times since 1996. The Blue Devils have won eight straight in this matchup, including three at Cameron by an average of 17 points. Temple is badly overmatched in this contest, and they’re not going to be able to handle Duke in the post. The Owls have lost Eric and a couple other post players, and Allen may be fighting a losing battle on the interior against the Plumlees, Singler and even sophomore forward Ryan Kelly. The Owls will have to slow this game down and limit Duke’s possessions, but it’s going to take a miracle for Temple to come away with a famous win at Cameron, arguably the toughest place in the country to play, on Wednesday. Go with Duke in your online betting picks.
Temple Duke Betting Pick: Duke Blue Devils
