Louisville vs Duke ACC Championship Prediction: Cards Look to Stun Shorthanded Blue Devils
Duke faces Louisville in the ACC Tournament Championship as 6.5-point favorites, despite missing star freshman Cooper Flagg. The game tips off at 8:30pm ET at Charlotte's Spectrum Center on ESPN.
Basketball player celebrates after scoring
Louisville enters on an 11-game win streak, boasting the nation's 27th-ranked offense and a top-25 defense. Senior guard Chucky Hepburn leads the Cardinals, averaging 16.4 points, 5.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game. J'Vonne Hadley anchors the frontcourt with 12.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Duke maintains the #1 KenPom rating with the country's 2nd-best offense and 4th-best defense. Freshman Kon Knueppel has stepped up in Flagg's absence, scoring 28 points against Georgia Tech and 17 versus North Carolina in the semifinals.
The total has increased significantly from 143.5 to 147.5, while the spread remains at Duke -6.5. Louisville has covered in 9 of their last 11 games as underdogs and is 6-1 in ACC games decided by 6 points or fewer.
Prediction: Louisville's momentum and Duke's thin rotation without Flagg suggest a close game. Take Louisville +6.5, as they've proven successful in tight contests and should keep this championship game competitive throughout.
CHUCKY HEPBURN WINS IT AT THE BUZZER 🔥🔥@LouisvilleMBB SURVIVES(via @accnetwork) pic.twitter.com/KhCovec7Gv
Best odds available:
- Duke: -255 (FanDuel)
- Louisville: +210 (BetMGM)
- Spread: Louisville +6.5 (-110)
- Total: 147.5