NCAAB: #11 Duquesne vs #6 BYU Odds, and Picks (Mar 21)

• Duquesne stunned VCU in the Atlantic 10 title game, claiming an automatic bid.
• BYU had a successful first season in the Big-12, and was rewarded with a 6-seed.
• This will be the very first meeting between these two teams in their program histories.

The NCAA Tournament is officially underway! Let’s take a look at this matchup between the Duquesne Dukes and the BYU Cougars. Duquesne was a late surprise addition to the tourney field, after riding an 8-game winning streak to a conference title.

How to Watch

• TBS

Preview

Duquesne went on an impressive run in the Atlantic-10 conference tournament, picking up wins over Dayton, St. Bonaventure, and VCU. They earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in the process, claiming their first appearance in 47 years. The Dukes will face a capable BYU team in the first round, entering as a heavy underdog. They’ll be relying on their stifling defense to shut the Cougars down, after allowing fewer than 60 points per game during the entirety of their current 8-game winning streak.

BYU’s move from the West Coast Conference to the Big-12 was flawless, as they earned a top-5 finish in their new conference and claimed a 6-seed in the tournament. The Cougars actually received the short end of the stick by the selection committee. They ranked as the top 5-seed on the overall seed list, but were forced down a seed line due to scheduling problems in the bracket. Leading-scorer Jaxson Robinson and company will be aiming for a statement win here to show the committee up.

Prediction

I’m a bit surprised to see BYU favored by a near double-digit margin. While I do expect them to win this game as the better overall team, betting on them to cover may be a trap. Duquesne has a stellar defense, and will make it hard for the Cougars to run away with the game by a large margin. Additionally, the Dukes are riding the momentum of an 8-game winning streak. I don’t see BYU ever really cleanly pulling away, but I’ll take them to win this one by single digits.

NCAAB Picks:

• BYU 70, Duquesne 63 (DUQ +9.5)