By Charles Jay
Well, here we are at the Final Four, in the first game is scheduled for 6:05 PM ET on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Duke Blue Devils and the Michigan State Spartans will tangle, and obviously there are two of the best coaches in the game going up against each other. After college basketball betting action tips off, you get to play some more, as Vietbet customers can make wagers on the game in progress with Live Betting Extra.
A very strong case can be made for Duke in this contest, and let’s see if we can give you some of the bullet points.
* In a game that might be very fast-paced, Duke could possibly be too explosive an offensive team for Michigan State. The Blue Devils average 79.5 points per contest, and they are incredibly accurate from the floor, shooting 50.2%, enough to rank third in the entire nation. They have the ability to stretch out a defense as well; Coach K’s team hits 39% from the three-point arc. As the Spartans are perhaps not a team that likes being stretched out across the floor, Vietbet customers might see this as a distinct advantage for Duke.
* Mike Krzyzewski is in his 12th Final Four, and has four national titles. That even trumps the experience of Tom Izzo, who is one of the more remarkable coaches in NCAA Tournament history. But here is the interesting thing, for those who want to make comparisons between these teams – Coach K is 8-1 straight-up in his lifetime against Izzo.
* If this game comes down to who can make the key free throws, that edge has to go to the Blue Devils. Michigan State is awful from the line, converting only 63% of its attempts. And in the first game between these teams, they did not get to the stripe much, attempting only ten free throws.
In the final four betting odds posted on this game by the people at Vietbet, Duke is the favorite:
Duke Blue Devils -5.5
Michigan State Spartans +5.5
Over 138 points -110
Under 138 points -110
* Duke may be the inferior defensive team here, as we look at the raw numbers (they allow 42.3% from the floor), but this club has been on a roll as far stopping opponents is concerned, and they are doing it at the right time. Duke has held Robert Morris, San Diego State and Utah all under 40% shooting. Then when they went up against Gonzaga, the top shooting team in the country, they held the Bulldogs to just 44% and a total of 52 points. And remember that Michigan State loves to shoot the three-ball (about 20 times per game, as a matter of fact). Well, Duke has shut teams down from the arc, giving up only 24% throughout this entire NCAA Tournament.
* There is no question whatsoever that Jahlil Okafor represents a matchup problem for Michigan State. And this operates on both ends of the floor. Most Vietbet aficionados who have watched this freshman are of the opinion that he has better moves than any other big man in the country. That’s going to be a lot of trouble for Gavin Schilling and Matt Costello, the two rather limited big men for the Spartans. By the same token, Okafor, who is not especially noted for his defense, perhaps won’t be in too much hot water himself because Michigan State really doesn’t generate a lot of offense up front.
* People love to talk about the freshmen for Kentucky, but Duke may have a better overall group. Okafor, the possible #1 pick in the draft, has hit 67% of his shots this season. Justise Winslow has not only averaged 14 points per game and nine rebounds, but has also been probably the key defensive presence for the Blue Devils in this tournament. And anyone who has watched Duke this season has to be impressed with the clutch play of guard Tyus Jones. This is clearly a “Big Three” of first-year players. And to punctuate that, they have the senior leadership of Quinn Cook, who scored 19 points against Michigan State in the earlier meeting, which Duke won by the score of 81-71.
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