NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 26: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during a practice session ahead of the Sweet 16 in the East Regional of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Prudential Center on March 26, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Author + Laura Bernheim
Arizona looks to even the score against Duke in their second meeting this season, this time on a bigger stage — the Sweet 16 on Thursday at Newark's Prudential Center. Tipoff is set for 9:39 p.m. ET.
Duke's defense forced 16 turnovers and held Arizona to 39.7% shooting in the Blue Devils' 14-point win in November. The Wildcats (24-12) struggled to find their rhythm, while Duke (33-3) controlled the game with efficient scoring and defensive pressure.
Duke enters Thursday's rematch on a 13-game win streak, led by freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, who averages 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season.
Arizona relies on Caleb Love, who leads the team with 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. The Wildcats edged past Oregon 87-83 in the second round, with Love dropping 29 points and nine rebounds.
Spread
- Arizona +9.5 (-109)
- Duke -9.5 (-111)
Moneyline
- Arizona +410
- Duke -552
Total
- OVER 154.5 (-108)
- UNDER 154.5 (-117)
*The above data was collected on March 27, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Arizona vs. Duke Betting Trends
- Duke has covered the spread 18 times this season when they're at least 9.5-point favorites.
- Arizona is 2-4 against the spread in their last six games when playing as the underdog.
- Duke covered the spread in both NCAA Tournament games and is 10-2 against the spread in their last 12 games.
- Arizona is 1-1 against the spread in the NCAA Tournament and is 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 games.
- The UNDER has cashed in the past three matchups between Arizona and Duke since 2013.
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Arizona's last 9 games against an ACC opponent.
Arizona vs. Duke Injury Reports
Arizona
- Motiejus Krivas, C - Out (lower leg)
Duke
- Maliq Brown, F - Questionable (shoulder)
Arizona vs. Duke Predictions and Picks
"Arizona is a completely different team (for the better) than when these teams faced off in late November, but Duke might be better, too. This one will be ultra-physical with athleticism all over the place. The pace is the trump card here. Duke is one of the best teams in the sport at limiting transition opportunities. Historically, slowing the game down is the better way to try and muzzle an Arizona transition offense that's been elite for years. Arizona is just 2-5 in games with 66 possessions or fewer this season. The first Duke-Arizona clash finished at 67 possessions. If Duke can keep this game from getting into the 70-possession range, it should be in decent shape." — Brad Crawford, CBS Sports
"The Blue Devils have looked like a runaway freight train through their first two games, beating Mount St. Mary's and Baylor by a combined 67 points. For all the attention that Cooper Flagg gets, Tyrese Proctor has been the team's best player, tallying 44 points on 13-of-16 from three-point range through two games. No one can beat Duke if it plays its game on both ends of the floor." — Joel Reuter, Bleacher Report
"The Arizona Wildcats are coming off an 87-83 win against Oregon. They got red-hot shooting from Caleb Love while the Ducks went just 12-22 from the free-throw line and committed a slew of sloppy turnovers. All those things went right, and Arizona still barely won, which is a troubling sign with the top-rated team in the country on deck for Thursday. The Duke Blue Devils are better on both sides of the floor, have more high-end talent, and also boast superior depth. The Blue Devils cruised to a 14-point win at Arizona in November, and their young lineup has improved since. Duke is a -500 favorite for good reason and will advance to the Elite Eight." — Rohit Ponnaiya, Covers.com
