The 10^th-ranked Baylor Bears (9-2) and 21^st-ranked Duke Blue Devils (7-3) will face off in an intense upcoming battle on Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Blue Devils are slight favorites with a point spread at -1.5 (-120).

 

The Bears just had their first loss of the season, which was a bit of an embarrassment. This was an 88-64 showing against the struggling Michigan State Spartans, where the Bears could only muster 17 points in the first half while giving up 45.

 

Ja’Kobe Walter is leading the team with 14.3 points per game and is shooting 41.2 percent from the field. He is also connecting on 88.9 percent of his free throws, which could be big down the stretch.

 

They have been averaging 88.4 points per game and shooting 51.7 percent from the field. They do well in moving the basketball to find the open man with 16.3 assists each matchup.

 

On the other end, they are allowing 69.6 points per game and are grabbing 38.0 rebounds in total per game. They also add in 4.6 blocks and 7.4 steals every matchup to add a good defense.

 

The Blue Devils have won their last two games heading into this event. This was good to see them get back on track after losing the prior two games, going 3-2 in their last five overall. Their previous success was a 89-69 performance over the Hofstra Pride.

 

Kyle Filipowski is leading the Blue Devils in 18.4 points scored and 9.2 rebounds a game. His success on the court will help determine if they have a chance to win.

 

The Blue Devils are averaging 81.6 points each game and are connecting on 48.5 percent of their field goals. They move the basketball around well with 16.5 assists each matchup.

 

Their defense has slowed teams to 66.1 points each game and they are securing down 36.4  rebounds. They also boast 3.7 blocks and 6.6 steals per game.

 

MyBookie offers the point spread odds for this matchup, showing that the Duke Blue Devils are slight favorites here. According to market analysis, the Blue Devils have a 60.2 percent chance at winning. 

 

 

This matchup could arguably go either way based on both teams’ recent struggles. The Bears look human again after suffering their first loss, while the Blue Devils are aiming to move up in the rankings. Look for the Blue Devils to continue their streak.