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Duke vs. Houston: Predictions and odds for 2024 March Madness game

Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) grabs a rebound against the Vermont Catamounts in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.
Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) grabs a rebound against the Vermont Catamounts in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.

The No. 4 Duke Blue Devils and No. 1 Houston Cougars play Friday, March 29, in a Sweet 16 matchup. This is a showdown between an absolute powerhouse and one of college basketball's blue blood programs.

Despite Houston being the lower seed, they've actually struggled more through the first two rounds than Duke. Sure, Houston took care of No. 16 Longwood with no problems. However, their second-round matchup against Texas A&M nearly saw the Cougars blow a sizable lead before ultimately taking care of the Aggies in overtime. Houston's emotions will certainly be running high heading into their matchup against Duke. Perhaps the Blue Devils can take advantage of that though, and emerge from Dallas as the victors.

Here's how to watch this Sweet 16 matchup.

March Madness: Upsets, Sweet 16 chalk and the ACC lead takeaways from men's NCAA Tournament

Predictions:

Sporting News: Houston 70, Duke 65

Caleb Tallman writes, "Houston is a veteran squad with talented, experience guards — a huge advantage in March. As long as foul trouble doesn't get in the way, Houston should pull off a close win."

On3: Houston 69, Duke 66

Dan Morrison writes, "For this game, KenPom agrees with both Vegas and BPI, projecting the Houston Cougars to win a close game. If KenPom is right about the final score, 135 total points would be scored in this game, just about the Vegas point total."

Bleacher Nation: Houston 71, Duke 68

Luis Escalante points out that the Houston Cougars have gone a relatively mild 18-17-1 ATS this season, compared to Duke's solid 20-13-1 record ATS. While Houston is still expected to win, there's a good chance that a blue blood program like Duke will keep this one close throughout its entirety.

Duke vs. Houston: Odds, spread and lines for March Madness

The Cougars are favorites to defeat Blue Devils in this week's March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.

Odds as of Monday.

  • Spread: Houston (-4.5)

  • Moneyline: Houston (-190); Duke (+155)

  • Over/under: 134.5

How to watch Duke vs. Houston: TV, streaming and schedule

When: Friday, March 29, 2024

Time: 9:39 p.m. ET

Where: American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX

Cable TV: CBS

Streaming: Paramount+

How to watch March Madness: Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV

How to watch NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness 2024

All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.

How to watch March Madness: Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV

Printable March Madness bracket

You can find a printable bracket for the men's tournament here.

A women's tournament printable bracket is available here.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke vs. Houston: Predictions, picks, odds