Notre Dame at Duke College Basketball Picks & Predictions 3/8/2018

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Barclays Center

Get todays College basketball odds and lines on this game.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to Barclays Center to play the Duke Blue Devils on Thursday, March 8, 2018. The opening line for this game has Duke as 5 point favorites.

Notre Dame heads into this matchup with a mark of 18-13. They currently have a point differential of 7.1 as they are averaging 75.3 points per contest while giving up 68.2 per game. Duke has an overall mark of 25-6. They are averaging 85.1 points per contest and giving up 69.5, which is a point differential of 15.6.

Valuable Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Trends

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 12-16 against the spread this season

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 14-13 against the over/under this year

Important Duke Blue Devils Betting Trends

The Duke Blue Devils are 19-10 against the spread this season

The Duke Blue Devils are 16-13 against the over/under this year

Key Notre Dame Fighting Irish Injuries

02/23/18 G D.J. Harvey Knee is out for season

Key Duke Blue Devils Injuries

No key injuries to report

Player Spotlight

Bonzie Colson averages 20.8 points per game while playing 33 minutes per night this season. He pulls down 10.3 rebounds per game and dishes out 1.1 assists per game as well. His field goal percentage is 60% while his free throw percentage is at 80%. Matt Farrell averages 16.8 points per game in 35.5 minutes per contest this season. He averages 5.3 assists per contest and 2.4 rebounds per game. His field goal percentage is 43% for the year while his free throw percentage is 80%.

Player Spotlight

Marvin Bagley III averages 20.7 points per game while playing 32.9 minutes per contest this year. He grabs 11.2 rebounds per game and has 1.6 assists per contest on the year. His field goal percentage is 60% and his free throw percentage is at 62%. Grayson Allen averages 15.5 points per game this season and he sees the court an average of 34.8 minutes per contest. He also averages 3.5 rebounds per contest and 4.5 assists per game. His field goal percentage is 42% and his free throw percentage is 85%.

Useful Team Statistics

Notre Dame averages 75.3 points per contest this season, which ranks them 133rd in the nation. Their average scoring margin is 7.1 and their shooting percentage is 45% as a team, which has them ranked 171st. Behind the arc they shoot 37%, which is good for 76th in the country. They average 36.3 rebounds per game and 14.1 assists per game, which ranks them 123rd and 141st in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they rank 344th with 9.9 per game. The Fighting Irish allow 68.2 points per game to their opponents which ranks them 69th in Division 1. They also allow a 43% shooting percentage and a 36% average from behind the arc, ranking them 103rd and 220th in those defensive categories. Opponents average 33.9 rebounds a game which ranks 129th and they give up 13.9 assists per contest, which puts them in 226th place in college basketball. They force 11.2 turnovers per game which ranks them 39th in the nation.

Useful Team Statistics

Duke is 6th in the country with 85.1 points per game this year. They are 16th in D-1 in shooting at 49%, while their average scoring margin is 15.6. They shoot 38% from 3-point range, which is good for 50th in college basketball. They are 2nd in the nation in rebounding with 41.9 boards per game, and 8th in assists per contest with 17.5. The Blue Devils are 220th in turnovers per game with 12.5. The Blue Devils surrender 69.5 points per contest, which ranks them 100th in the country. Their defense allows a 40% shooting percentage and a 33% average from 3-point range, ranking them 12th and 41st in those defensive statistics. They rank 203rd with 13.7 assists allowed per contest and 56th with 32.5 rebounds surrendered per game. The Blue Devils are 94th in Division 1 in forcing turnovers with 12.1 per game this season.

Advanced Statistics

The Fighting Irish are 165th in the country in defensive rating with 102, and their offensive rating of 112.6 is ranked 37th. They are 324th in college basketball in pace with 66.1 possessions per 40 minutes, and their eFG% of 52% is 144th. As a unit they are 117th in the nation in true shooting percentage with 56% and they shoot 3-pointers on 39% of their shot attempts, ranking 124th in D-1. Notre Dame is 344th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12.8 times per 100 possessions while forcing 14.5 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 49%, which is 111th in the country.

Advanced Statistics

Duke is 286th in the country in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 14.7 times per 100 possessions while forcing 14.6 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 46%, which is 10th in Division 1. The Blue Devils are 41st in the nation in defensive rating with 97.4, and their offensive rating of 119.4 is ranked 4th. They are 96th in D-1 in pace with 71 possessions per 40 minutes, and their eFG% of 56% is 21st. As a unit they are 30th in college basketball in true shooting percentage with 59% and they shoot 3-pointers on 36% of their shot attempts, ranking 223rd in the country.

Who will win tonight's Notre Dame/Duke college basketball game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take Duke -5

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