Juan Pablo Aravena
Selection Sunday is in the books! The Duke Blue Devils were named the No.2 seed in the West Region, which has them facing off against No.15 Cal State Fullerton in Round 1 of the NCAA March Madness tournament. We have a rare spectacle before us, as this will be the first time these two Division I programs have met. While there is always a ton of betting interest surrounding any game the Blue Devils are in, the aforementioned anecdote has Vegas especially curious. With no history between the two, we have to look at each team’s respective momentum heading into Round 1 when predicting which will emerge victorious. Will the CS Fullerton Titans spoil Mike Krzyzewski’s shot at one more Championship before he rides off into the sunset? Or will Duke do as expected and advance? Let’s review.
Picks and Predictions for the Cal State Fullerton Titans vs Duke Blue Devils NCAA Basketball Championship Round 1 Game on March 18 2022
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
When: Friday, March 18, 2022, 4:20 PM ET
Betting Line: Cal State Fullerton Titans (+17.5) vs Duke Blue Devils (-17.5)
CS Fullerton Titans Betting Preview
Overall Record: 21-10
Conference Record: 11-4
Odds to Win: (+17.5)
Cal State Fullerton (CSFU) arrives from one of the most tightly contested NCAAB games of the weekend heading into Selection Sunday. They fought off the Long Beach State 49ers on Saturday, winning by one-point in a 72-21 finale. This was a back-and-forth game that had live-bettors on edge. The score was 32-31 in the first half, with each team putting up 40-points apiece in the second. Titans’ E.J. Anosike scored 22-points and pulled down 8-rebounds. The forward had support from his team, as four players scored in double digits.
The Titans average 70.3 points this season. They boast a 44.7 field goal percentage, are 33% from beyond the arc, and grab 33.5 rebounds per game. After a win this year, Cal State is 12-7 against the spread (ATS), covering 63.2% of the time.
Duke Blue Devils Betting Preview
Overall Record: 28-6
Conference Record: 16-4
Odds to Win: (-17.5)
Some say Duke should have been the No.1 seed in the West Region of the 2022 March Madness college basketball tournament. Perhaps it was their 82-67 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday that altered expectations. They certainly don’t arrive in the First Round with the same gusto as their Cal State opponents. Forward Paolo Ranchero’s stock has certainly fallen for the up and coming NBA Draft. While he scored 20-points in Duke’s loss to the Hokies on Saturday, he only wrangled in 5-rebounds and 1-assist. Only two other teammates, AJ Griffin and Wendell Moore, hit for double digits (barely) with just 10 and 11-points respectively. The Blue Devils also lost to UNC this month (94-81) which doesn’t bode well for their confidence entering the tournament. Still, Duke is Duke. The tournament is their time to shine.
Duke averages 80.2 points this season, along with 38.3 rebounds. They have a 48.9 FG% and shoot 36.8% from 3-point territory. After a loss this year, the Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS, covering 80% of the time. While the month hasn’t been too kind for Mike Krzyzewski’s team, stats favor them in a win over their first round opponent, even if it’s the first time these two programs have met.
Prediction
Coach K adds one more notch to his post-season pedigree. The Duke Blue Devils beat the Cal State Fullerton Titans 83-73.
