Duke basketball vs Houston prediction: Who has edge in 2024 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16?
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Fourth-seeded Duke basketball will play in its 29th Sweet 16 when it takes on No. 1 Houston in Dallas on Friday night.
Duke (26-8) and Houston (32-4) square off at American Airlines Center in a South Region March Madness contest. Tip-off is tentatively set for 9:45 p.m.
The Blue Devils crushed No. 12 James Madison to roll into the Sweet 16. The Cougars survived in overtime to beat No. 9 Texas A&M in a Round of 32 thriller.
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Here are some things to know and a score prediction for Duke-Houston in the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Duke's defense has come to play in NCAA Tournament
In two March Madness victories over three days, the Blue Devils have locked it down on the defensive end. They held Vermont to a season-low 47 points in the opener and then did the same to James Madison in the Round of 32.
Across those two games, Duke kept its opponents to nine combined 3-pointers and and 38.2% field-goal shooting. Duke also had a plus-12 edge in the rebounding department from the two victories.
Duke basketball regains confidence after late-season stumble
The sluggish starts during a two-game losing streak to close the regular season matched with some choppiness in the first-round victory over Vermont warranted some question marks about the Blue Devils' readiness to make a deep run in March Madness.
They were answered in the rout of James Madison. And it was how the Blue Devils went about their brutally efficient victory over the Dukes that impressed the most. Behind freshman Jared McCain's record night, Duke laid the hammer down from the get-go, and James Madison never really threatened in the program's first Round of 32 appearance in 41 years.
"When we are playing our best basketball, no one can stop us," Duke center Kyle Filipowski said Sunday night.
Metric-wise, Houston will be tough challenge for Duke
The Cougars are ranked second in the country in the kenpom.com ratings. The Cougars are also the top team in adjusted defensive efficiency metrics, the third best in forcing turnovers and are one of the nation's superior offensive rebounding clubs.
Houston also has its own momentum to lean on after outlasting Texas A&M in overtime. The Cougars blew a late 12-point lead only to pull away in the extra session.
Duke vs Houston prediction in March Madness
Duke 80, Houston 78: The Blue Devils stay hot from the perimeter to hold off Houston down the stretch.
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This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Duke vs Houston prediction, pick for March Madness Sweet 16
