NCAA Elite Eight: UConn vs Duke Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 29)

• The Huskies took down Michigan State in the Round of 16.
• The Blue Devils eliminated St. John’s in the Sweet 16.
• This marks the 11th all-time matchup between the two squads.

The second half of the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Tournament will come to an end as the ACC’s Duke Blue Devils take on the Big East’s UConn Huskies. The former stands out as the slight favorite, presenting the stakes that will be present in this tournament matchup.

How to Watch

• When: Sunday, March 29, 5:05 pm ET
• Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
• How to Watch: CBS

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

Dan Hurley and the Huskies (32-5) find themselves back in the Elite Eight for the third time in four years. They got past Furman and UCLA in the first two rounds before taking down Michigan State in the Sweet 16. Alex Karaban hit a massive 3-pointer with 1:39 to play, then combined with Tarris Reed Jr. to go 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute to salt away with the win. Reed Jr. led all scorers with 20 points for the Huskies, adding five rebounds, four assists and two blocks to continue his terrific March Madness run. Karaban scored 17 and snared a team-high seven rebounds along with three assists and two blocks.

The Blue Devils (34-2) have performed at a solid level throughout March Madness so far, taking down Siena and TCU in the first two rounds before sending home St. John’s to get to the Elite Eight. Isaiah Evans poured in a team-high 25 points, while Cameron Boozer finished with 22 and 10 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double and 22nd of the season. Caleb Foster, who returned to the lineup for the first time in the postseason, added 11 points on five-of-eight shooting in 18 minutes of action.

UConn vs Duke Head-to-Head

The two programs have had 10 meetings in their history, and the result is 6-4 for the Blue Devils. The last matchup was in December 2014 when Duke won 66-56.

UConn vs Duke Predictions

The winner of this matchup will go to the Final Four as they face the Illinois Fighting Illini on April 4. UConn certainly stands a solid chance against Duke, especially after seeing St. John’s keep the game close against them. However, they will need their best defensive performance to date against Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, something that will be easier said than done. Our betting pick here is the Blue Devils to defend a 5-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: Duke Blue Devils -5