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This time each year, various sportsbooks begin to roll out exotic futures tied to college basketball. The Gaming Juice’s junior circuit junkie, Brad Evans, will occasionally unearth bets he believes present excellent value.
The pick — Duke to go undefeated in ACC (+110, BetMGM)
Delivering on the hype in Durham, Duke is one of two teams — Auburn being the other — that is clearly separating itself from the college basketball pack.
The recently turned 18-year-old Cooper Flagg, who can now legally use his cell phone while driving in the state of North Carolina, is deservedly earning all the accolades. Leading the pack in KenPom’s Player of the Year rating, he’s currently -400 to win the Wooden Award at BetMGM.
However, Jon Scheyer’s club comprises more than just one sensation.
[ Bracket Big Board: Brad Evans' latest NCAA Tournament projections ]
Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor have repeatedly splashed the cylinder from outside. On the season, both marksmen are shooting over 37% on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, 7-foot-2 paint patroller Khaman Maluach has developed into a premier big man, displacing opponent shots with regularity while converting an almost asinine 79.8% on 2-pointers.
As a collective, the Blue Devils are quite balanced. Since Jan. 1, they and Creighton are the only two squads to rank top-40 nationally in effective field-goal percentage offense and effective field-goal percentage defense.
At No. 1 in effective height, Duke is the nation’s tallest team. Its length is highly disruptive and a significant reason why it has rolled through ACC play unblemished.
Given how largely pedestrian the league is — among the Power Five, the ACC ranks fifth in overall rating on KenPom — the Fightin’ Cherokee Parkses should continue to have the Cameron Crazies going wild. Of the final nine conference games, road challenges at Clemson and at bubblicious rival North Carolina are the toughest remaining contests.
Duke’s win probabilities in those affairs? Greater than 70%, according to KenPom and BartTorvik.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Blue Devils at +110 to finish the ACC regular season untouched is a dynamite value. Frankly, the odds should be in the vicinity of -150.
Plant a Flagg.