March Madness Round 1: Vermont vs Duke Betting News & Score
Catamounts One of Top Under Teams in Country
Vermont vs Duke Final Score
Vermont vs Duke Betting Preview
Vermont (28-6) opens the NCAA Tournament with a Friday night game against Duke (24-8). Vermont is the No. 13 seed in the South Region after winning the America East Conference Tournament. The Blue Devils had to settle for a No. 4 seed after being upset by NC State in the first round of the ACC tournament.
Duke is clearly the better team. The Blue Devils have the edge offensively and defensively. The Vermont vs Duke betting news shows Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster is still questionable for the game. The Blue Devils will likely announce something closer to the game. The Blue Devils are favored by 12 with a total of 132.
Vermont Catamounts vs Duke Blue Devils 
Day/Time:
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Streaming: CBS
Catamounts Look to Slow Game Down
Vermont hasn’t played anywhere near the level of Duke this season. The Catamounts’ toughest game came against Virginia Tech and they lost 73-51. That doesn’t bode well for Vermont in this one. The Catamounts went 15-1 in the America East Conference this season, inexplicably losing to NJIT, the worst team in the conference.
Vermont is 14-18 against the spread and 3-3 as an underdog this season. The Vermont vs Duke betting news shows the Catamounts’ slowdown game helped the team go 9-23 in totals this season. Vermont is 1-5 in totals when an undedog.
Vermont Catamounts‘ offense is pretty average. The Catamounts don’t make many turnovers, but are weak in offensive rebounding. The team shoots well enough, making 53.2% from 2-point range and 33.5% from 3-point range.
The Catamounts put up quite a few 3-pointers, taking an average of 25.2 per game. Vermont is going to need to drain a few from long range to stay in this one.
The Catamounts can play some defense, ranking No. 62 in the KenPom efficiency ratings. Vermont is penalized a little bit for not forcing turnovers, but the team defends pretty well. Teams are shooting 46.4% on 2-pointers and 31.5% on 3-pointers.
The Catamounts are one of the better teams in the nation preventing offensive rebounds, but haven’t seen a team with as much athleticism as the Blue Devils.
Duke Out to End Two-Game Losing Streak
Teams always talk about wanting to play their best in March, but that hasn’t been the case for Duke. The Blue Devils lost their regular season finale against North Carolina and then made a quick exit in the ACC tournament. As a result, Duke’s odds to win March Madness have climbed to +3500.
Those are decent odds on a team capable of reaching the March Madness championship game if it plays well. Duke is 18-13-1 against the spread this year and 13-19 in totals.
The Duke Blue Devils offense is the strength of the team. Duke shoots the ball well, doesn’t make many turnovers and can grab some offensive rebounds. The Blue Devils shoot 37.7% from 3-point range and 54.4% on 2-pointers. Duke does get some shots blocked, but that hasn’t really slowed the team down any.
The defense is solid once again, ranking No. 26 in the KenPom ratings. Duke doesn’t allow many offensive rebounds or send teams to the foul line. The Blue Devils are holding teams to 32.6% on 3-pointers and 49.1% on 2-pointers. Duke doesn’t force a lot of turnovers, but teams are typically pretty deliberate with the ball.
What to Expect
Vermont is going to slow the pace down. The Catamounts are ranked No. 324 in time per possession and it’s a chance for them to shorten the game here. When you’re playing against a team that’s a fixture in the NCAA college basketball rankings, you want to see time go off the clock.
Duke typically plays at a more traditional pace but will run if the situation presents itself. Duke doesn’t mind a slow pace. The Blue Devils beat Virginia 73-48 and Vermont plays at a quicker pace than the Cavaliers.
Who to Bet On?
Vermont is one of those teams tough to get a handle on. The loss to NJIT was unforgivable and the Catamounts haven’t played a top-notch program all year. The Catamounts lost to Marquette 78-61 in the first round of last year’s tournament. This is the first game against similar competition for Vermont. The Blue Devils are a huge jump up in class for the Catamounts.
The total is fairly low, but it’s deserved in this case. Both teams showed a tendency to go under the number this season and it’s hard to buck that trend here. The Vermont vs Duke betting news shows the total has pretty much held steady since it opened.
There hasn’t been a lot of money wagered on one side or the other, but believe the under is the way to go here. It’s hard to see either team pushing the pace and Vermont could struggle against the Blue Devil defense.
For NCAAB betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
