James Madison vs Duke Preview: Blue Devils Solid Favorites
JMU Enters Contest With Nation's Longest Win Streak
It’s an announcer’s nightmare, as the James Madison Dukes (32-3) play the Duke Blue Devils (25-8) in a South Region second-round game on Sunday. James Madison brings a 14-game winning streak into the contest. The Blue Devils rebounded from two straight losses with a first-round win over Vermont.
The JMU defense took it to Wisconsin in its first-round tournament game, but the Blue Devils pose a different problem. Duke can play tough defense, something the Badgers haven’t done well this NCAAB season. The James Madison vs Duke preview shows the Blue Devils are favored by 7 points and the total is at 148.5.
Dukes vs Blue Devils 
Date & Time:
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Streaming: CBS
How Good is James Madison?
James Madison is tied with UConn for the best record in college basketball, but their schedule leaves something to be desired. Still, it’s hard to find much fault in a team that is 32-3. The Dukes have played two NCAAB teams in the KenPom top 20 and beaten them both.
JMU defeated Michigan State to open the season and handily defeated Wisconsin. That also means they lost a couple of college basketball games against teams that aren’t as strong. The Dukes lost to a decent Appalachian State team twice and have an inexplicable loss to Southern Miss.
The Dukes are now 20-14-1 against the spread and 16-17-1 in totals. James Madison is 3-1 as an underdog and 5-1 in neutral court games. The Dukes haven’t fared well with just one day in between games, going 1-5 ATS.
The college basketball stats show the Dukes are a little better defensively than on offense. James Madison allows 69 points per game and is especially tough on 3-point defense.
Teams are shooting just 28.2% against the Dukes, which is No. 2 in the nation. James Madison does send teams to the foul line a bit too often or would be ranked higher in the defensive efficiency ratings.
The James Madison vs Duke preview sees the Dukes ranked in the top 45 in both 2- and 3-point shooting. JMU is a little weak from the foul line, where it ranks No. 257 in the nation at 70.4%. The Dukes don’t make many turnovers and can grab a few offensive rebounds. James Madison is pretty solid overall.
Blue Devils Riding the Offense
Duke quickly righted the ship for the start of the NCAA Tournament, knocking off a fair Vermont squad with relative ease. The Blue Devils are still getting respect in the NCAA March Madness odds to win the tournament. The Blue Devils are +2700, which is the 10th-lowest odds out there.
Anything short of a Final Four appearance is viewed as a failure at Duke. The Blue Devils have been solid against the spread this season, going 19-13-1 and 13-20 in totals. Duke is 19-11-1 as a favorite this season.
The Blue Devils are ranked No. 7 in the KenPom offensive efficiency ratings. The only real weakness that shows up in the stats is having a few too many shots blocked. Duke hits 37.6% on 3-pointers and 54.3% on 2-pointers. The Blue Devils have been solid on the offensive glass and don’t make that many turnovers.
Duke isn’t bad defensively, ranking No. 22 in the efficiency ratings. The Blue Devils might be rated a little on the high side, but they’re solid. Duke doesn’t allow many offensive rebounds or send teams to the foul line.
The Blue Devils allow 32.3% on 3-point attempts and 49% on 2-pointers. Those are good, but not necessarily great numbers. Duke is rated No. 85 in effective field goal defense.
What to Expect
The James Madison vs Duke preview shows JMU didn’t do anything different against Wisconsin. The Dukes simply outplayed the Badgers. JMU led 18-5 after the first 10 minutes and never looked back.
James Madison plays a slightly faster than average pace, but may be a little more deliberate against the Blue Devils. Duke doesn’t run up-and-down the court, although it is capable of it.
The Blue Devils may make more of an effort to get the ball inside. That will help offset the Dukes’ 3-point defense, but also give the Blue Devils a chance to get to the foul line.
Who to Bet On?
The point spread is a tough call in this game. The Blue Devils are the better team, however, there have already been a number of tournament games where the better team doesn’t win.
Duke is certainly more experienced on the big stage. Playing the Blue Devils is a bit different than playing the Badgers. Duke has that mystique, which Wisconsin doesn’t, but James Madison shouldn’t be intimidated, which is half the battle.
The total could be determined by how much respect the Blue Devils give to James Madison’s 3-point defense. It’s solid, although the level of competition the Dukes played leaves something to be desired.
If the Blue Devils look to attack the inside there will be fewer possessions in the game. James Madison shoots well enough to play a half-court game, but will need to make a few outside shots.
The NCAA Tournament game times have this one going off at 5:15 p.m. It will be the only game being played during the first half, therefore, the public will bet this one a little more. That means there should be fair value on the under, which is the way to play this one.
For NCAAB news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
