As the 2 day of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 stages gets underway on the 27th of March 2015 with the Blue Devils of Duke 31-14 a No. 1 seed playing the Utes of Utah 26-8 and a No. 5 seed and the game is played at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas and the game tips-off at 7:45 PM ET and will be seen on CBS TV.
The odds in the match-up between the Blue Devils and the Utes are favoring Duke at – 5 ½ with the Over/under at 134 and -240 on the Money Line while the comeback Money Line on the Utes is +200. As we enter these tournaments I like to review the starting line of 5 players for each team, and take a look at their combined aggregate statistics. The aggregate scoring of the Blue Devils of Duke averaged 13 point per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and 2.2 assist per game. The Utes of Utah on their side had an aggregate scoring had 10 points per game with 4.4 rebounds per game and 1.7 assist per game.
The Blue Devils thus far in this tournament have out powered their opponents, and none have been able to stop their incredible freshman Okafor, who is in the running for the NCAA Freshman Player of the Year.
The Utes of Utah on the other side of the court are on a comeback after a bad ending to its Pac 12 seasons, and luckily made thus far to this Sweet 16, which is the 1st time in 10 years. The question now for the Utes is can they crate and upset against the blue Devils.
Utah has bounced back from a bitter end to its Pac-12 season to make its first Sweet 16 in a decade. But can the Utes pull off the big upset over the Blue Devils? Read on as we preview this ACC vs. Pac-12 showdown.
If you’re a Blue Devils fan and Bet on College and this tournament at an Offshore sportsbook you have to know that your freshman Okafor has had an incredible two game in this tournament as Duke comes into this Sweet 16. In the 1st two games against San Diego State and Robert Morris he managed to score 47 points as he has completed 78 % of his field goals. This is only the 39th tournament appearance for Duke and they have a record for wins with 101 with 34 losses in those 39 NCAA Tournaments. Their Center Okafor is the 1st ever freshman to win the ACC Player of the Year Award.
The Duke Coach Krzyzewski uses a 5 team strategy that consists of 2 guards, 2 forwards and a center. And his starting 5 have made some 59% of their field goal attempts and on the outside 3-pointers their completion rate is some 46%. One factor in this game could be their guard Jones, who can step on in big games and be a great addition to the Blue Devils offensive efficiency in scoring.
With this March Madness slowing heading towards the finals, an if you’re a Utes fan, then it’s been said that forward Poeltl is having his Okafor games as he is a freshman at 7 foots who in their game against S.F. Austin he managed 18 points as he shot 7 field goal completions on 7 attempts, and in the game with Georgetown he made 5 of his 6 field goal attempts in that Round 32 game. Their coach Krystowiak is in his 4th year as head coach and his game plan uses 2 guards and 3 forwards. Then don’t overlook the guard Wright averages 14.7 points per game and has become a finalist in the National Player of the Year awards in the making. If the Utes are to win this game they will need the participation of all members of the squad, especially Taylor and Tucker to upset the Blue Devils.