March Madness Round 1: Duquesne vs BYU Analysis & Final Score
Duquesne vs BYU Predictions: Cougars Open as 8.5-Point Favorites

Duquesne vs BYU Final Score
Duquesne vs BYU Preview
Selection Sunday has passed, and the stage is set. No. 11 Duquesne and No. 6 BYU will tip in one of the NCAA Tournament’s first games on Thursday (12:40 p.m. ET) in Omaha, Neb.
Brigham Young Cougars opened as an 8.5-point favorite at -108 odds and -395 on the moneyline, with the Over/Under set at 142. Meanwhile, Duquesne is +310 to pull off the upset.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both NCAAB teams and give our Duquesne vs BYU predictions.
BYU Cougars vs Duquesne Dukes 
Day/Time:
Location: CHI Omaha Health Center; Omaha
Streaming: truTV
Cougars vs Dukes Betting Trends
The Duquesne Dukes are 18-16 ATS, including 9-2 over their last 11 games. The Dukes have gone Under the total at the second-highest rate (72.7%) in Division I. Meanwhile, the BYU Cougars are 20-13 ATS, including 5-1 over the last six games. As for the Over/Under, BYU is 16-17.
Be sure to remember these betting trends when assessing our Duquesne vs BYU predictions.
Long Time Coming for Duquesne
Duquesne ended one of the country’s longest NCAA Tournament droughts, punching its ticket for the first time in 47 years. The 11th-seeded Dukes earned an automatic bid after overcoming +1200 odds to win the A-10 Conference Tournament with a 57-51 victory over VCU.
Duquesne (24-11, 10-8) started 0-5 in A-10 play but won 10 of its final 13 regular-season games, including a victory over No. 24 Dayton Flyers.
The Dukes are strong on defense, ranking 28th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and 29th in opponents’ scoring. As such, only Marist has gone Under the projected total at a higher rate (73.3%).
Duquesne also has a dynamic backcourt in Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark III. The duo has combined to average 31.8 points per game, or about 45% of the Dukes’ total offense. They have excelled in playing slow, low-scoring games where the Dukes can methodically wear down opponents. The Dukes rank just 251st in adjusted tempo, averaging 66.3 possessions per 40 minutes.
As an underdog, the Dukes are 7-3 ATS and 6-4 OU, including 4-0 this month. Keep that in mind when analyzing our Duquesne vs BYU predictions.
Offense Does it for BYU
BYU returns to the Big Dance for the second time in four seasons and is seeking its first tournament win since 2011.
The Cougars (23-10, 10-8) put together a strong first season in the Big 12, notching 20 wins for the fourth time in five years while defeating the likes of San Diego State, Iowa State, Baylor and Kansas. They climbed as high as 12th in the AP Top 25 poll and are ranked 16th in KenPom.
Led by guard Jaxson Robinson (13.8 PPG), the Cougars have the potential to make a deep run. They rank 11th in adjusted offensive efficiency while averaging 81.8 points.
The Cougars are polar opposites to Duquesne in that they like to get up and down the floor and jack up shots from the perimeter. They are averaging 32.2 3-point attempts per game, second most in the country behind North Florida (33.2). They’ve hit 34.8% of those tries, so it’s not as if they are reckless.
The Cougars struggled in their 81-67 Big 12 quarterfinal loss to Texas Tech, shooting just 7 of 35 from deep and 37.3% overall. As such, they were held to their third-lowest point total this season. They will need to regain their form to avoid a first-round upset.
BYU started 8-0 ATS but is just 12-13 since. As a favorite, it is 18-8 ATS and 22-4 OU, proving it has generally taken care of business when expected.
Handicapping the Game
Credit Duquesne for winning the A-10, but its seeding is a tad high for a team with just one KenPom Top 60 win. Its reward, if you will, is a team that is among the most proficient offensively in the country. BYU was not able to find its form in the Big-12 Tournament, showing it is prone to slumps. But a few days off may do the Cougars some good as they seek better results.
If Duquesne can force Robinson and Co. to dial it back and play at its tempo, this game could be closer than expected. Then again, that is a big ask given the Cougars’ body of work. BYU is one of the best bets to advance to the Round of 32.
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