DUKE vs KENTUCKY
When: 9:30 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

TV: 9:30 PM
LINE: -1
PREDICTION: KENTUCKY , DUKE

Oddsmakers currently have the KENTUCKY listed as -1 point favorites versus the DUKE, while the game’s total is sitting at 155.

A major showdown will take place on the opening night of the season when No. 2 Kentucky faces No. 3 Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic in Indianapolis on Tuesday. The Wildcats have a deep incoming class while also landing Stanford transfer Reid Travis, and the Blue Devils unveil the nation’s top three recruits in RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish.

Travis brings 98 games of experience to a young roster and is looking forward to a top-level opponent in his first game at Kentucky. “The mood is a lot of excitement,” Travis said in a press conference. “Taking it game by game, but obviously we’re getting to the real big games so it’s a lot of excitement in the locker room. We want to get better, and just continue to prepare to grow.” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is still defining roles but will throw his freshman trio of stars into the fire and see how things play out. “We’ll face different tempos and obviously Kentucky will be one of the most talented teams that we will play, but we just have to keep moving,” Krzyzewski said during a press conference. “We’re developing really good habits.”

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT DUKE (2017-18: 29-8): The college debut of Williamson has been an anticipated event since early in his high school career and Kentucky was one of the schools he shunned. The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Williamson has mixed well with fellow forwards Barrett and Reddish as well as another incoming freshman in point guard Tre Jones while also impressing his older teammates. “He’s so much more than just an incredible athlete,” junior forward Jack White said during a press conference. “One thing that sticks out to me is his passing ability. He can really pass the ball. He’s a really smart player. He always seems to make the right play. He makes his teammates better.”

ABOUT KENTUCKY (2017-18: 26-11): Travis (19.5 points, 8.7 rebounds) and sophomore forward PJ Washington (10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds) give the Wildcats a solid frontcourt duo that ranks among the best in the nation. Sophomore guard Quade Green (9.3) was a part-time starter last season and freshman Tyler Herro is expected to be a major 3-point threat, but Kentucky may get some answers about some of the other newcomers during the game against the Blue Devils. “We’ve got a couple of days to prepare for this next one, that will be a hard game,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said at a press conference. “Now may be harder than I thought. We need more energy defensively and the game Tuesday will be great for film to see who needs to do what.”

TIP-INS

1. Kentucky leads the series 12-9, but Duke has prevailed in seven of the past nine meetings.

2. Junior C Marques Bolden (3.9 average) is the Blue Devils’ leading returning scorer.

3. Travis scored 20 or more points on 18 occasions and posted 16 double-doubles in his final season at Stanford.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 76, Duke 75

The post DUKE vs. KENTUCKY 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

VIRGINIA vs DUKE
When: 12:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, North Carolina

TV: 12:30 PM
LINE: -6.5
PREDICTION: DUKE , VIRGINIA

Oddsmakers currently have the DUKE listed as -6.5 point favorites versus the VIRGINIA, while the game’s total is sitting at 45.

Virginia looks to build off its biggest win in years as it visits Duke on Saturday afternoon in a key matchup in the ACC Coastal Division. The Cavaliers shocked previously ranked Miami (Fla.) 16-13 at home last week in what was their first win over a top-25 opponent in four years and their first win over a team ranked inside the top 15 since 2011.

Virginia used a touchdown from senior running back Jordan Ellis, three field goals and an opportunistic defense that got two interceptions from safety Juan Thornhill to help pull the upset. “They’re becoming resilient and they are becoming confident and they acknowledge and see that happening,” Cavaliers coach Bronco Mendenhall told reporters about his team after the game. Duke was able to get back into the win column last weekend with a 28-14 win over Georgia Tech after the Yellow Jackets coughed up the game by fumbling three times late in the third quarter. The Blue Devils took full advantage of the turnovers as quarterback Daniel Jones threw three touchdown passes during that decisive span at the end of the period to blow open a tie game.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network. LINE: Duke -7.5.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (4-2, 2-1 ACC): Virginia’s defense was outstanding last week against Miami, holding a Hurricanes offense more than 28 points below its season average. For the season, the Cavaliers are allowing just 19.2 points against per game, ranking them 25th in the nation. Offensively, the Cavaliers succeed when they are running the ball effectively, as they have 1,098 rushing yards through six games in 2018 and are led by Ellis’ 564 yards and seven touchdowns.

ABOUT DUKE (5-1, 1-1): Duke’s rushing defense is allowing 140.5 yards per game, 47th in FBS, but is coming off a strong performance where they contained Georgia Tech’s top-ranked rushing offense to 3.8 yards per carry and just one rushing touchdown. The Blue Devils’ offense is averaging just 390 yards per game, 10th in the ACC, but Jones has been efficient with a 68.3 percent completion rate. Much like the Cavaliers, the Blue Devils will look to establish the run early and are led by sophomores Deon Jackson and Brittain Brown, who have a combined 672 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground so far in 2018.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Virginia has beaten Duke in each of the last three seasons.

2. The Blue Devils own the ACC’s best red zone defense at 64.3 percent.

3. Jones has thrown just two interceptions this season but has thrown seven interceptions in two games against the Cavaliers in his career.

PREDICTION: Duke 23, Virginia 17

The post VIRGINIA vs. DUKE 10/20/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

DUKE vs NORTHWESTERN
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 8, 2018
Where: Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois

TV: 12:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: NORTHWESTERN , DUKE

Oddsmakers currently have the NORTHWESTERN listed as point favorites versus the DUKE, while the game’s total is sitting at .

The post DUKE vs. NORTHWESTERN 9/8/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

ARMY vs DUKE
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, August 31, 2018
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, North Carolina

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: -14
PREDICTION: DUKE , ARMY

Oddsmakers currently have the DUKE listed as -14 point favorites versus the ARMY, while the game’s total is sitting at 45.5.

Duke looks to build off a strong finish to last season with an experienced group on both sides of the ball when it hosts Army on Friday night to open the 2018 campaign. The Blue Devils lost six straight contests in the middle of 2017, including a 21-16 setback at Army, but averaged 36.7 points in three consecutive wins that culminated with a victory over Northern Illinois in the Quick Lane Bowl.

Junior quarterback Daniel Jones threw six touchdown passes and ran for three more in the final three games for Duke last season and leads the offense while preseason All-American cornerback Mark Gilbert keys a well-seasoned defense that will take on Army’s triple-option attack. The Black Knights rushed for 226 yards against the Blue Devils in last year’s win, but they must introduce a new quarterback with standout Ahmad Bradshaw (1,746 yards on the ground in 2017) gone. Army won eight of the last nine games a year ago, including the Armed Forces Bowl, and won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 1996. The Black Knights, who went 18-8 in the last two seasons after winning 14 combined in the previous five years, still should be able to move the ball on the ground with a stable of productive and experienced running backs while they search for more consistency on defense.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Duke -13.5

ABOUT ARMY (2017: 10-3): Junior Kelvin Hopkins Jr. from Charlotte, N.C., who ran seven times for 40 yards and passed for 76 more last year, will get the first chance of filling Bradshaw’s shoes at quarterback and he can rely on veteran running backs. Seniors Darnell Woolfolk (812 yards rushing, 14 TDs last year) and Andy Davidson (627, five), along with junior Kell Walker (629, six), all have loads of experience to carry the load while Hopkins settles in. The Black Knights’ defense gave up at least 28 points in three of its last six games last season and will be led by talented senior linebacker James Nachtigal, who finished with 103 tackles and five sacks in 2017.

ABOUT DUKE (2017: 7-6): Jones will have to improve on his efficiency after throwing 30 touchdown passes while getting intercepted 20 times in his career and completing just 56.7 percent of his attempts in 2017. Jones has plenty of experienced targets with seniors T.J. Rahming (65 catches, 795 yards in 2017), Johnathan Lloyd (39, 367) and Chris Taylor (25, 332), and a group of impressive freshmen who will get chances. Gilbert had six interceptions last year while junior linebacker Joe Giles-Harris (125 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and senior linebacker Ben Humphreys also return for a defense which allowed 20.4 points per game in the last seven of 2017.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Sophomore RB Brittain Brown (701 yards, seven TDs) is the top rusher returning for the Blue Devils.

2. Woolfolk, Davidson and Walker have combined for 48 career TDs on the ground and each ran for 100 yards in a game twice last year.

3. Rahming is fifth all time at Duke in receptions (178) and ninth in receiving yards (2,108), but has just five career TDs.

PREDICTION: Duke 31, Army 14

The post ARMY vs. DUKE 8/31/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

Irving, who has dealt with several injuries during his brief NBA career, sprained his shoulder Sunday night in a loss to Toronto. He collided with Raptors rookie forward Jonas Valanciunas while trying to drive the baseline. Irving stayed in the game, but was taken out after he was unable to raise his left arm while shooting free throws.

The Cavaliers said an MRI revealed a left AC (acromioclavicular) sprain. He is projected to miss 3 to 4 weeks, but the Cavs have just 19 games left this season, so it’s possible Irving will not play again.

Cavs coach Byron Scott would not speculate if Irving’s season is over.

“We’ll have to wait until it’s completely healed and then just go from there,” Scott said after Monday’s practice.

Irving has already missed 14 games this season with a broken index finger and hyperextended knee. He broke his right hand last summer when he punched a padded wall during a practice in Las Vegas. He missed 14 games last season — four with a concussion and 10 with a sprained right shoulder — when he was chosen the league’s top rookie.

Irving played with a broken jaw earlier this season, wearing a protective mask.

Despite the injuries, Scott doesn’t believe his young star is fragile.

“He’s still very young and his body hasn’t fully developed,” Scott said. “I’m just not that concerned about it, to be honest with you,” Scott said. “All the injuries that he has gotten have been legitimate injuries. It’s not something that keeps recurring over and over again.”

Irving played just 11 games as a freshman at Duke because of a toe injury.

The post Kyrie Irving out 3-4 weeks appeared first on IdealCapper.

The person spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been officially announced.

The 6-foot-10 McRoberts, who played at Duke, has played in 41 games this season with three starts and is averaging 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Warrick, in his seventh NBA season, was acquired earlier this season in a trade with the New Orleans Hornets. Since joining the Bobcats he has averaged 6.9 points per game and 3.2 rebounds, but his playing time has diminished in recent weeks.

The post Magic acquire Hakim Warrick appeared first on IdealCapper.

The 15-1 Cardinals took advantage of losses by Duke and Michigan to move up two spots to No. 1 on Monday in The Associated Press’ Top 25 poll. This is just the second time in school history they’re on top. The other time was the final poll of 2008-09, a season in which they reached the final eight of the NCAA tournament.

Hours later, Louisville used a strong second half to beat Connecticut 73-60 on Monday night to move to 16-1.

Louisville was one of five teams to receive a first-place vote this week, and that backs Pitino’s point.

“I think the top teams will play musical chairs for No. 1 for the next two months and it will be really significant at the end of the year,” Pitino said before the Monday’s game. “We played a tough nonconference schedule and I’m really happy the way our guys have battled through injuries. We’ll try to hold the musical top as long as we can.”

The Cardinals, who have won 11 straight since losing to Duke in the final of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, received 36 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel. That’s 23 more than Indiana, which moved up from fifth.

Indiana was No. 1 in the preseason poll and for the first five weeks of the regular season. Duke, which was No. 1 for the past four weeks, was third with 14 No. 1 votes. The Blue Devils were followed by Kansas and Michigan, which drew one first-place vote each.

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Four teams entered the week unbeaten — Duke, Michigan, Arizona and Wyoming — and each suffered its first loss.

It was the first time three of the top four teams lost in the same week since November 2003, when the top four teams — Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State and Arizona — all were defeated.

Syracuse, Arizona, Gonzaga, Minnesota and Florida rounded out this week’s top 10.

There were four newcomers to the poll this week: No. 21 Oregon, No. 22 Virginia Commonwealth, No. 24 UCLA and No. 25 Marquette.

It is VCU’s first ranking since the 1984-85 season. Oregon is back in for the first time since 2007-08. Marquette was ranked last season, and UCLA, which was No. 13 in the preseason poll, is back after being out for the past seven weeks.

They replaced Georgetown, Cincinnati, Wichita State and UNLV, who all lost once last week.

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