No. 6 Duke Blue Devils vs. Michigan State Spartans
Tuesday, 11/15/11, 7:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Duke -5
Current Betting Line: Duke -6
Opening Total: 138.5
Current Total: 138.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Duke has already scored two home victories to start the season and head coach Mike Krzyzewski comes into this game tied with Bob Knight as the winningest coach in NCAA history. “I’d rather go out and try to win this game for the right reasons, and the residual is you get 903,” commented Krzyzewski this week. “The perk is beating Michigan State.” The program leads the all-time series, 6-2, including a 3-2 edge when playing on a neutral court. In the last meeting between the two schools, Duke tallied a 84-79 victory as 10-point home favorites, but this affair will be played inside Madison Square Garden. Duke is 14-8 ATS on a neutral court the last two-plus years.
The Blue Devils have won 25 of their last 27 non-conference contests, while the program is 110-10 all-time in the month of November under Coach K. Duke has won three straight games against Big Ten opponents, posting a 47-15 mark in such games under his direction. Offensively, the team is led by a trio of players inside the paint, averaging 36.0 points and 24.0 rebounds per game. Miles Plumlee, Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee managed to finish last season averaging 18.6 points and 17.0 rebounds per game combined.
Michigan State is the first team to open the season against North Carolina and Duke since 1976. The Spartans have never opened a season with two games against ranked opponents. Head coach Tom Izzo will have his squad on another airplane to arrive in New York City, after suffering a 67-55 season-opening loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels as 8.5-point underdogs aboard the USS Carl Vinson last Friday. Michigan State is 4-8 ATS in November the past two-plus campaigns, while the ‘over’ is 6-5 in those contests.
The Spartans certainly fell off in their most important category, ranking 48th in the nation with a plus-4 rebounding edge a year ago. Michigan State paced the country in that category the previous two seasons. During the Tom Izzo era, the program has out-rebounded 417 of 545 opponents. Draymond Green is the team’s leader, as he recorded his 19th career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 18 rebounds versus the Tar Heels.
Bettors will likely back the Blue Devils due to their 6-1 ATS mark as a favorite of 6.5 points or less, while the Spartans are 7-18-1 ATS overall.
Don’t miss out on a winning season and let the college basketball handicappers at Maddux Sports line your pockets with cash. Long term packages are available now!
