Duke vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds & Preview Tonight: Best Picks for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

We offer our best Duke vs. Arizona prediction as tipoff for the March Madness Sweet 16 game approaches, profiling the prediction and a featured prop pick.

Mike Spector

Last updated: March 27, 2025 6:36 PM EDT • 7 min read

Duke vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds & Preview for Tonight — Pictured: Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg warms up during a practice session. Photo by Vincent Carchietta via Imagn Images

The No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils (33-3) and No. 4 seed Arizona Wildcats (24-12) will square off in tonight's Sweet 16, with a place in the March Madness Elite Eight on the line.

The Blue Devils are the 9.5-point betting favorite ahead of tipoff as we offer our Duke vs. Arizona prediction, odds, and preview, analyzing the Wildcats' chances of keeping the contest close.

Duke won the previous meeting in November by 14 points, but we think the Wildcats will be more competitive tonight. The picks below are part of our March Madness predictions, and tonight's game from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., is set for 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS).

🔢 Duke vs. Arizona updated betting action

Updated betting information via BetMGM.

61% of the bets and 69% of the handle is on Duke (-9.5) to cover
86% of the bets and 80% of the handle is on the Over (153.5)
Duke's moneyline odds have shortened from -450 to -550.

🏀 Duke vs. Arizona prediction & picks for today

Here are my best Duke vs. Arizona predictions for the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:

✅ Against the spread pick: Arizona +9.5 (-118 via DraftKings) vs. Duke ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Best player prop bet: Cooper Flagg Over 27.5 points + rebounds (-122 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: Duke 80, Arizona 75 (+18000 via DraftKings)

👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and the rest of our March Madness Sweet 16 predictions.

🏆 Best Duke vs. Arizona pick, player prop bet & score prediction

Our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds for any March Madness market across legal sportsbooks in your area!

✅ Arizona to cover the spread: +9.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Duke has beaten its opponents by 25 points per game during its 13-game winning streak. And its most impressive non-conference victory of the season was a 69-55 road win at Arizona, which was also the Wildcats’ third-lowest scoring output of the season.

But Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd has shown an ability to get his team to play much better in “revenge” spots.

Just this year alone, the Wildcats avenged a 16-point road loss to Texas Tech with two wins by 15 combined points. And five days after losing the regular-season finale at Allen Fieldhouse, Arizona beat Kansas by 11 points in its first Big 12 tournament game.

Lloyd also improved to 5-2 head-to-head against Dana Altman with Sunday’s win over Oregon. Arizona scored 87 points against a Ducks team that had ranked in the 90th percentile in defensive transition rate efficiency.

Sharp action already appears to be backing the Wildcats, as FanDuel lowered its point spread from 9.5 to 8.5 on Monday morning. I agree with the sharps, as Arizona has the talent to give Duke a battle it has not had in quite some time.

📊 Best odds: -118 via DraftKings ($10 to win $8.47)

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

🔥 Cooper Flagg Over 27.5 points + rebounds ⭐⭐⭐

Cooper Flagg has totaled 27 and 21 combined points and rebounds in his first two NCAA Tournament games thus far, but he didn't play more than 29 minutes in either.

With us expecting Arizona to keep this game close, Flagg should go Over this projected total while playing more than the 30.1 minutes per game he has averaged to this point.

Flagg was Duke’s only consistent source of offense in the prior meeting, scoring 24 points and pulling down seven rebounds.

Arizona doubles the post at one of the lowest rates in the country, and the Wildcats need to worry about Duke’s perimeter threats, especially Tyrese Proctor who has made 14 of 16 3-point attempts in his last two games.

This is a three-star play, as this is a relatively big line with Flagg exceeding this points and rebounds total in just one of his last eight games. It's also one of my favorite Duke vs. Arizona player props.

📊 Best odds: -122 via FanDuel ($10 to win $8.20)

Bet $5, Win $200 in Bonus Bets

New customers only. Min. deposit $5+. Bet $5+ and win $200 in Bonus Bets, if your bet wins (within 72 hours). Bet does not have to win in AZ, CO, KS, NC, or TN.

Claim $200

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

🎯 Score prediction: Duke 80, Arizona 75

Though the Blue Devils and Wildcats combined to score just 124 points in their Nov. 22 meeting, I expect both offenses to have more success and play with more fluidity with 36 games apiece under their belts. That’s why I’m predicting a final score of Duke 80, Arizona 75.

📊 Best odds: +18000 via DraftKings ($10 to win $1800)

🤖 Duke vs. Arizona AI prediction

For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze historical trends and live NCAA Tournament stats before predicting the winner and exact score for Duke vs. Arizona. Our AI prediction projects a final score of Duke 75, Arizona 71.

🖥️ AI score prediction: Duke 75, Arizona 71

The Blue Devils have been elite on defense, ranking in the top five nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Arizona’s high-powered offense will be tested, especially by Duke’s athleticism and length.
Both teams have been prone to turnovers in high-pressure situations. Duke thrives in transition after creating turnovers, so controlling the ball will be crucial for Arizona’s chances.
Both teams are strong on the boards, but Duke’s size and depth in the frontcourt give it a slight advantage. Arizona’s ability to dominate the paint will need to be neutralized by Duke’s physicality and defensive schemes.

🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean Arizona covering the spread (+9.5) and a total of Under 153.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that March Madness bettors might overlook.

📊 Live Duke vs. Arizona odds

Follow the latest live March Madness college basketball odds and real-time NCAA Tournament scores for the Sweet 16.

Latest Duke vs. Arizona odds

Here are the latest odds for Duke vs. Arizona from BetMGM ahead of tipoff:

Spread

Duke is a 9.5-point betting favorite against Arizona. Duke's odds are juiced at -105 (51.22%), while Arizona's sit at -115 (53.49%).

Total

The Duke vs. Arizona betting total sits at 153.5 ahead of tipoff. That Over/Under has remained constant since betting lines opened.

Moneyline

Duke is a -550 moneyline favorite with an implied win probability of 84.62% against Arizona.

🔢 Duke vs. Arizona opening odds

Spread: Duke -8.5 (-120) | Arizona +8.5 (-102)
Moneyline: Duke -420 | Arizona +320
Over/Under: Over 153.5 (-110) | Under 153.5 (-110)

📺 How to watch Duke vs. Arizona: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

📅 Date: Thursday, March 27
🕗 Time: 9:39 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.)
📺 TV: CBS
💻 Streaming: March Madness Live

🏀 Best March Madness odds, predictions & expert picks today

🆚 Sweet 16 game predictions

Alabama vs. BYU prediction

Alabama vs. BYU player props

Florida vs. Maryland prediction

Florida vs. Maryland player props

Duke vs. Arizona prediction

Duke vs. Arizona player props

Texas Tech vs. Arkansas prediction

Texas Tech vs. Arkansas player props

Michigan State vs. Ole Miss prediction

Michigan State vs. Ole Miss player props

Tennessee vs. Kentucky prediction

Tennessee vs. Kentucky player props

Auburn vs. Michigan prediction

Auburn vs. Michigan player props

Houston vs. Purdue prediction

Houston vs. Purdue player props

💰 March Madness betting odds pages

March Madness odds	March Madness MVP odds
Women's March Madness odds	March Madness MVP predictions
Final Four odds	March Madness prop bets

👑 Best March Madness betting sites

Ready to place your March Madness bets? Check out the best March Madness betting promos from the best March Madness betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review.

Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission

Written By:
Mike Spector

Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”