On Saturday,Willbet Free slots at the Alamodome in San Antonio, the Duke Blue Devils will face the Houston Cougars in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Both were No. 1 seeds in their respective regions.
Duke, led by freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, heads into this year’s tournament with a 35-3 record. The Blue Devils looked as dominant as ever in their Elite Eight win over Alabama, and Flagg has been every bit the star he was hyped to be—averaging nearly 20 points per game in the tournament while anchoring Duke’s defense. This team has grown more balanced and confident with each round.
Meanwhile, the 34-4 Cougars aim to make a statement behind the strength of their nation-best defense and dangerous outside shooting. Houston is riding high after suffocating Tennessee in the Elite 8 to punch its ticket to the Final Four. Guards L.J. Cryer and Milos Uzan have been lights out from three, and they’ll need to stay hot to keep pace with Duke’s firepower.
The opening tip is at 8:49 PM ET on CBS.
Duke is currently a 5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 136. Here is a comparison of odds across college basketball betting sites:
Below, we'll suggest some player props that have the best chance for success and share our game prediction.
Our team of sports betting experts has closely analyzed the Duke-Houston matchup. Below are their top player prop predictions along with the best odds for those props. This information is only meant to augment your own research, and we do not advise you to blindly follow the picks.
In a battle between two elite defenses, Duke enters the game as a 5.5-point favorite. The key for Houston will be limiting stat-stuffing freshman sensation Cooper Flagg and guarding the perimeter tightly in order to minimize Duke's lethal shooters. Likewise, the Blue Devils’ D must run the Cougars’ star guard Milos Uzan off the three-point line. Uzan shot 44% from beyond the arc during the regular season, and he has continued to be lights out from downtown during the tournament.
However, defending the perimeter is one of Duke's strengths, which could make life difficult for Uzan. Ultimately, we think Duke has too much offensive firepower for Houston to keep up. Look for the Cougars to keep it close during the first half before the Blue Devils wear them down and pull away late.
Pick: Duke -5.5