Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

2024-25 Duke Blue Devils Basketball Predictions and Odds to Win the National Championship

by Ryan Cobbett - 10/30/2024

Duke Blue Devils basketball predictions Isaiah Evans

The Blue Devils posted a 24-7 record in the regular season last year while posting a 15-5 conference record. They picked up some key wins in the nonconference portion of their schedule, including wins over #18 Michigan State and #10 Baylor. They were swept by the Tar Heels in their two meetings last season, losing the rivalry set by a combined 14 points. Despite dominating the regular season, Duke’s ACC Tournament time was brief, as they were upended by the eventual tournament champion, North Carolina State. Despite the early exit in the ACC Tournament, the Blue Devils were headed into the Big Dance as a 4-Seed in the South Region. They dominated their first two games to open the tournament, taking down 13-Seed Vermont and 12-Seed James Madison, winning by a combined 55 points. After winning their first two games soundly, they were matched up against 1-Seed Houston in the Sweet 16. However, the Blue Devils pulled off the upset and beat the Cougars, 54-51. Unfortunately, the fun didn’t last, as Duke was eliminated from tournament play, for the second time, by the North Carolina Wolfpack.

Duke was second in the ACC in scoring, as they averaged 78.6 PPG while shooting, a conference best, 47.5% as a team. They also led the conference with a 37.7% 3P% as well as with 15.3 APG. On defense, they allowed just 66.3 PPG and kept opponents to a 31.8% 3P%, giving them a +5.8% 3P% differential, which was the 12th best mark in the nation. Forward Kyle Filipowski led the Blue Devils in scoring last season, averaging over 16 PPG while shooting over 50% from the floor. His 8.3 RPG also led the team. Jared McCain (14.3) and Jeremy Roach (14) both averaged 14 or more PPG, with both guards shooting over 40% from deep. Mark Mitchell (11.6 PPG) and Tyrese Proctor (10.5 PPG) were the other two Duke players to average double-digit PPGs.

Doc’s Sports offers college basketball expert picks for every game on our NCAA basketball predictions page.

Duke Blue Devils Basketball Key Additions/Losses

Duke faced a mass exodus of players, as their roster will be totally different heading into the new campaign. Filipowski and McCain have left for the NBA, while seven players transferred out. In addition to losing their top two scorers to the NBA, they lost their third and fourth leading scorers in Roach (Baylor) and Mitchell (Missouri), as they transferred. Joining them via the transfer portal is Sean Stewart (Ohio State), Jaylen Blakes (Stanford), TJ Power (Virginia), Christian Reeves (Clemson), and Jaden Schutt (Virginia Tech).

Despite all the losses, they brought in four transfers. Sion James is the best scorer out of the group, as the grad transfer comes over from Tulane after averaging 14 PPG and 5.4 RPG last season. Joining James is Maliq Brown, who averaged 9.5 PPG and 7.2 RPG with Syracuse, Cameron Sheffield, who averaged 7.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG with Rice, and Mason Gillis, who shot 46.8% from deep with Purdue last season. Joining the transfer class is an incredibly talented recruiting class out of high school. Highlighting the class is the number one overall prospect in Cooper Flagg, who is the highest rated recruit to commit to the Blue Devils. They didn’t stop there, as they added center Khaman Maluach (fourth nationally), Isaiah Evans (13th nationally), Kon Knueppel (18th nationally), Patrick Ngongba II (21st nationally), and Darren Harris (40th nationally).

Duke Blue Devils Basketball X-Factors

Freshmen vs experience- In today’s age of basketball, freshmen come in and make a difference from Day One. However, now in the transfer portal era, we are seeing teams across the country placing more value on transfer talent than that of the high school ranks. Duke was active in the transfer portal and added some key role pieces, but they are heavily reliant on their top-rated prospects joining the college ranks this season. Flagg, Maluach and Knueppel are projected to be in the starting five, while Evans should pick up some key minutes off the bench. However, if any of these incoming freshmen fail to pan out, do the Blue Devils have adequate depth to play at a high level this season?

Duke Blue Devils Basketball Notable Games

Home- #11 Auburn, #9 North Carolina

Away/Neutral- #23 Kentucky, #10 Arizona, #1 Kansas, Illinois, #9 North Carolina

Duke Blue Devils Basketball Key Odds:

NCAA Champion: +950

Final Four: +175

Conference Winner: +135

Wooden Award: Tyrese Proctor- +9500

Wooden Award: Isaiah Evans- +25000

AP Top 25- 7th

Andy Katz’s Power 37- 5th

KenPom- 2nd

Duke Blue Devils Basketball Predictions

The ceiling is perhaps the highest in the nation, but the freshmen have to adjust to the college game quickly and have success while doing so. The ACC is in a down year as a whole with Duke and North Carolina being the only ranked teams in the conference which helps the Blue Devils chances in earning a bid to the Big Dance, but their nonconference features some tough games, including #1 Kansas, #10 Arizona, #11 Auburn, #23 Kentucky, and Illinois, that will impact their seeding. They will play two tune-up games before playing four ranked teams in six games. I think the Blue Devils will face some road bumps early but take care of a weak conference schedule. However, the Tar Heels are the team to beat in the ACC. I am staying away from the Blue Devils as they are putting a lot on these incoming freshmen.

Get college basketball picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

 

Most Recent College Basketball Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers