Game Time: 7:10 PM  ET, Friday, March 18th, 2022

Venue: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina

Where to Watch:  CBS

 

DraftKings Sportsbook:  Duke -18.5; O/U 145.5

Caesars:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  Duke -19; O/U 146.5

FanDuel: Spread: Duke -18.5; O/U 146.5

CS Fullerton: 18-10 Big West  #15 Seed West bracket

Duke: 26-5      ACC               #2 Seed West Bracket

Remember the Titans?... You don't?, they have been playing all season.  They have been winning against UC’s (University of California schools) and losing to UC’s.. they lost to Hawaii.  They lost to Long Beach State.  There is very little chance that you watched them on TV, but they are a good little team filled with players that will transfer to bigger schools after the Freshman and Sophomores of those schools leave for the NBA.  Then these CS Fullerton players will get a redemptive Senior year with a big program.  They are in the NCAA tournament because they won the Big West Tournament.  The Big West is a conference in college sports that ropes in the small state and commuter schools on the West coast.  They are nibbling on McDonalds today while sweating in the film room while watching tape of Paolo Banchero from Duke.  They are a #15 seed which traditionally has no chance in the NCAA tourney.  The point spread in the game let’s them know that Vegas thinks they have no chance by almost 20 points!  The O/U line has been set based on the idea that no one on the Titans will be able to stop anyone on the Blue Devils.  Still these kids beat (in order) UC Davis, Hawaii, and Long Beach State to get to their bracket spot and they will now look down the court to see Mike Kzyzewski coaching against them.  It will be a fun memory when they are playing backup guard for USC next season.  The Blue Devils on the other hand are not exactly where they should be are they?  The Blue Devils lost their final home game to UNC and their Conference Championship game to Virginia Tech.  They are a powerhouse no doubt, but without the emotional retirement of the most famous coach in college basketball since John Wooden… they would be a 4 Seed.  Does that mean CS Fullerton has a chance?... Not a snowball's chance in hell.  CS Fullerton would not beat any single digit seed in the tourney and may not be able to beat any of the other 15 Seeds… and the selection committee gave them to Duke to guarantee that Mike Kzyzewski would be in primetime in a second round game in a couple of days.  The point spread of -18.5 should be larger… but Vegas can not give odd action when they have set the #1 seeds at largely 20-22 point favorites.  Does that mean Duke will blow past the point spread?... Yes.  The Duke kids have been taking hits lately and will tee it all off on this big mismatch.  This game will give Duke players going into the draft some fun film to support their case… it will give Duke bench players (all of whom could start at Cal-State Fullerton) plenty of garbage time to play in the tourney.

CS Fullerton won 7 of their last ten games including the undefeated conference tournament.  They went 5-4-1 ATS.  They were favored in 9 of the final ten games except for the one against UC Irvine.  Ya know, UC Irvine that monster of the West!  All kidding aside, the Titans and the Blue Devils do not play on the same level of basketball. CS Fullerton’s E.J. Anosike is a 5th year 6’7 forward who leads the team in scoring at 16.3 ppg.  He has no pro interest except for overseas.  This may be because he is a tweener playing at a small school in a small conference and does not jump off the page in, blocks, or steals.  If the pro’s tap you for a jump up they first need to see that you can play D, especially in a small conference. They also don’t want to coach up a 23 year old during summer league. 6’2 Guard Damari Milstead will have the worst day of any of the Titans during this loss.  Damari is a senior that has played at 3 different schools in the last 4 seasons.  Touching a tournament game is actually the reward by itself… but in the actual game he will be massively outclassed.

The Duke Blue Devils are not having their best season ever and they are still 26-5 with 3 last second losses!  This is a team that has so much talent from starter to bench that they litter the pros with #2 and #3 options… few colleges can say that. Duke lost their last game in the ACC conference Championship to Virginia Tech 82-67.  Leading scorer (17 ppg) 6’10 power forward Paolo Bachero is NBA lottery bound.  He is a teenager.  He will be a millionaire 4 months from now.  The team leader Wendell Moore Jr is a 6’5 Junior small forward. Wendell has hung around for 3 years steadily increasing his minutes, points, and assists per game until now he is grizzled and battle tested.  The player that the Titans will struggle mightily against is 7’0 Center Mark Williams.  Mark is not a world beater but he would be the best player in the West Coast Conference were he to transfer there tomorrow.  Mark is a legit 7 foot with a simple 11 point, 7 rebound, 3 block game.  He will have 5-6 blocks against fullerton… see if there is a prop bet on that? 6’4 guard Trevor Keels is another pro ball bound teenager.  He did not have a jump off the page stat line this season, but he has good size and does enough of everything.  

Al McMordie was 0-2 in the NBA yesterday, and is 78-52 his last 130. Big Al was 28-19-1 in the Conference Tourneys, and was 4-0-1 in last year's NIT. Here, pick up Big Al's Tuesday NIT Tourney Winner out of a super 18-2 ATS angle. Pick it up right now, and HIT IT HARD! Don't miss out! Get Big Al’s pick!!  It's available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. Also don’t miss Monday’s picks!!  All your NCAA basketball needs for the entire college basketball season!  All your needs in any sport for that matter!   

CSF is 21-10 on the season, but 16-11-2 ATS.  They have logged 12 Overs and 17 Unders.  They are 3-1 on neutral courts.

Duke is 28-6 on the season, but 17-15-2 ATS.  They have notched 19 Overs, 14 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 4-1 on neutral courts.

Cal State Fullerton is 192nd in scoring with 70.5 ppg, 262nd in rebounds with 30.9 per game, and 274th in AST/To ratio with 0.9.  The Titans play a lot of hero ball.  On defense they rank 122nd while allowing 67.1 ppg from opponents.

Duke is 9th in scoring with 80.4, 22nd in rebounds with 35.9, and 2nd in AST/TO ratio with 1.7.  On defense the Blue Devils rank 85th while allowing 66 ppg from opponents… 90% of those opponents would have beaten Cal State Fullerton outright.  

Our prediction for Friday, March 18th is… Duke 90 - CS Fullerton 54

Go all in!  Duke to win and cover… why?... Their opponent has been hand selected to give Duke an easy win and guarantee a second round high ratings game.  CS Fullerton would be a 16th seed if the process was more transparent… and Duke would have been a 4 seed.  Still… It will be a big Duke win.  TBS can queue up that Mike Kzyzewski career highlight, tear jerking footage multiple days in a row.

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There have been no past matchups between these teams.
CS Fullerton is 23-48 ATS with 5-6 days of rest since 1997.
Duke is 27-13 ATS after a loss of 1o points or more since 1997.
Duke is 7-1 ATS in first round NCAA tournament games over the last 8.

Titans: No injuries to report

Duke:  No injuries to report

Titans: Latrell Wrightsell Jr, Damari Milstead, Vincent Lee, Tory San Antonio, E.J. Anosike

Duke: Wendell Moore Jr, Trevor Keels, Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, AJ Griffin