Syracuse vs Duke Odds, Picks and Predictions: Orange Are Outmatched in Durham

The Syracuse Orange will try to extend a five-game winning streak in difficult territory as they visit the Duke Blue Devils in Durham on Tuesday night.

Syracuse (10-3) is fresh off an 81-73 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers in ACC play on Saturday. Yet, the Orange remain a severe underdog in the college basketball odds to the Blue Devils (9-3), who eased to a 106-69 victory over the Queens University Royals this weekend.

Preseason expectations would have pegged this game as a blowout, but the Orange have shown some mettle in recent weeks. We’ll figure out if that will be enough to keep them in this game in our free college basketball picks and predictions for Syracuse vs. Duke on January 2.

Syracuse vs Duke best odds

Syracuse vs Duke picks and predictions

While Syracuse has never entirely fallen off the college basketball map, its decline from a perennial national title contender started well before Jim Boeheim’s departure at the end of last season. Now under Adrian Autry, the Orange are looking to establish a new identity.

So far, they’re doing a solid job of it. Syracuse has won five in a row, including solid victories over Oregon and Pittsburgh. Judah Mintz has grown into a clear team leader, with the sophomore guard averaging 19.2 points per game for the Orange so far this season.

But as good as Syracuse has been this year, it’s clear that it’s not on the same level as Duke. The Blue Devils are once again one of the top teams in the country, ranked 14th in the latest AP poll. Outside of a two-game losing streak a month ago, only Arizona has been able to poke any holes in Duke’s record, which includes excellent wins over the likes of Michigan State and Baylor on neutral courts.

As usual, Duke is strong on both ends of the court, but this team is shaping up to be particularly difficult to stop on the offensive side of the ball. Center Kyle Filipowski is averaging 18 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and is one of five Blue Devils scoring in double figures this year. KenPom rates Duke as the No. 10 team in the country in terms of adjusted offensive efficiency, as it is scoring 83.3 points per game despite not playing at a particularly fast pace.

The question then becomes just how much better Duke is than Syracuse, particularly on its home court. And while oddsmakers have put a large spread on this game, that still might not completely capture the gap between these two squads.

The Orange deserve a lot of credit this year for making strides back towards being a tournament team. However, their weaknesses have looked downright glaring when they’ve run into elite competition this year. Their three losses have come to Tennessee, Gonzaga, and Virginia. While the Vols and Cavaliers are known for their elite defenses, the Bulldogs are also solid on that side of the ball, and Duke fits right into that category as well.

Against all three of those teams, Syracuse struggled to score, averaging just 58.3 points per game. As a result, the Orange lost each contest by at least 17 points, failing to cover the spread in any of those matchups. Notably, all three of those games came away from home.

I expect a similar outcome on Tuesday night. The Orange are game, but they’re not yet up to the level of Top 25 opposition, and Duke should have more than enough to cover the spread at home.

My best bet: Duke -14 (-110 at DraftKings)

Syracuse vs Duke same-game parlay

Duke -14

Under 152

Kyle Filipowski Over 17.5 points

+550 at DraftKings

The likely game story for this matchup lends itself to a same-game parlay, so I’m going to play directly into that narrative. I’m taking Duke to cover the spread, and combining that with the Under at 152 points. Syracuse hasn’t been able to generate much offense against elite teams, and that trend should keep the total down to a reasonable figure tonight.

One player who should find success is Filipowski. The Duke center should ultimately be able to outmatch the Syracuse bigs, and I’m taking Duke’s star to hit the Over on his scoring prop of 17.5 points.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Syracuse vs Duke spread and Over/Under analysis

Duke opened tonight’s game as a 14.5-point favorite over Syracuse. Many books are still on that number, though some have moved down to a flat 14 points. You’ll find -110 odds on both sides of these lines across most sites.

The Blue Devils are 7-5 against the spread so far this year. Syracuse has fared slightly worse, putting up a 5-7 ATS mark on the season.

I’ve made Duke my best bet for tonight’s game. Even on a neutral court, I’d think the Blue Devils are likely to beat the posted spread, but at Cameron Indoor Stadium, this line isn’t close to correct. Syracuse doesn’t have the talent to hang with Duke, and the Orange have shown that in previous outings against elite opponents.

The total for this game opened at 152 points. There’s been some slight upward movement, with sites now offering the Over/Under at anywhere from 152 to 153 points, with all of these totals offered with -110 odds on both sides of the market.

Both teams have played close to the total this year. The Under has a 6-5-1 edge in Syracuse’s games this season, while it is a perfectly even 6-6 when the Blue Devils play.

Syracuse may play at a quicker-than-average pace, but the Orange aren’t all that talented offensively outside of Mintz. As a result, they have struggled to score points against strong opponents, and Duke certainly fits that bill.

Duke isn’t looking to speed up the game either, which makes me think that the Blue Devils will pull away in a controlled manner that doesn’t lead to a shootout. I’m leaning towards the Under.

Syracuse vs Duke betting trend to know

Duke is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall. Find more college basketball betting trends for Syracuse vs. Duke.

Syracuse vs Duke game info

Syracuse vs Duke key injuries

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