California vs Duke prediction, pick, college basketball odds

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It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a California-Duke prediction and pick. Find out how to watch California-Duke.

Duke finally lost an ACC game. The Blue Devils fell to Clemson on Saturday, as the Tigers pulled closer to Duke in the ACC race. Clemson had lost to Georgia Tech earlier in the week to fall two games behind. Clemson might have been looking ahead to Duke, and given how well the Tigers played against the Blue Devils, that’s a reasonable statement to make. Clemson was a completely different team versus the Blue Devils, compared to its lackluster effort against Georgia Tech. Duke’s Cooper Flagg hit a number of really big shots late in regulation, but he also showed the physical strain of having to play extended minutes. He also slipped on a wet spot on the floor late in the game and traveled, a crucial wasted possession in a game Clemson was ultimately able to win. It will be interesting to see how Duke bounces back from that game. The Blue Devils are still in position to be a No. 1 seed at the NCAA Tournament. Finishing strong against a weak ACC is mandatory for the Devils if they do want to preserve that top seed.

Here are the California-Duke College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: California-Duke Odds

California: +23.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +2400

Duke: -23.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -10000

Over: 142.5 (-110)

Under: 142.5 (-110)

How to Watch California vs Duke

Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

TV: ACC Network

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*

Why California Will Cover The Spread/Win

Duke just played a draining game at Clemson. More than that, Cooper Flagg played extended minutes and was visibly cramping late in that game. He has been asked to play a ton of minutes by coach Jon Scheyer. In this game against Cal — a game Duke should win easily — it would make a ton of sense for Scheyer to cut down on Flagg’s minutes and save him for March Madness. Duke will win, but if the Blue Devils lead by a comfortable margin with seven or eight minutes left, we could easily imagine Scheyer benching Flagg and using backups down the stretch, which would enable Cal to outscore Duke late in the game and cover the spread.

Why Duke Will Cover The Spread/Win

Cal is not up to the challenge. The Cal Golden Bears have not had the kind of season they hoped for under coach Mark Madsen. Injuries have definitely affected this team in a negative way, and those injuries have persisted over the course of the season. Even then, the Bears have to think they have left something on the table this season. They lost at home to Virginia Tech and Syracuse. They have struggled with lower-end teams in the ACC. In a year when the ACC has been noticeably weak in men’s basketball — far weaker than it should be, and much weaker than it normally is — Cal has not been able to take advantage. The Bears are 5-8 in league play through 13 games. That’s a very disappointing showing regardless of injuries and attrition. Even with all of the roster limitations this team has, it should be better than 5-8 in a conference which is going through a lot of difficulties this season.

Duke is coming off a loss and will be breathing fire. The Blue Devils will have three full days to rest up and focus on this game. It’s going to get ugly for Cal on the road.

Final California-Duke Prediction & Pick

Duke is in position to hammer California. The Blue Devils’ loss to Clemson will motivate them for this game. Cal is not deep enough to withstand 40 minutes of pressure from the Blue Devils. Take Duke.

Final California-Duke Prediction & Pick: Duke -23.5

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