ACC Championship: Louisville vs Duke Odds, Pick & Best Bets for Title Game
The #1 Duke Blue Devils (30-3) face the #13 Louisville Cardinals (27-6) in the ACC Tournament Championship, with Duke favored by 6.5 points 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 brings momentum with 11 straight wins and ranks 27th in offensive efficiency and top-25 in defense. Senior guard Chucky Hepburn leads the Cardinals, averaging 16.4 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. He's been crucial in their tournament run with strong performances against Stanford and Clemson.
Despite Flagg's absence, Duke remains formidable with the nation's 2nd most efficient offense and 4th-ranked defense. Freshman Kon Knueppel has stepped up, scoring 28 points against Georgia Tech and 17 versus North Carolina.
The Pick: Louisville +6.5 (-110)
Key factors supporting Louisville:
- 6-1 record in close ACC games (decided by 6 points or fewer)
- 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as underdogs
- Duke's thin rotation missing Flagg and Maliq Brown
- Cardinals' faster tempo could exploit Duke's depth issues
The total has moved significantly from 143.5 to 147.5, while the spread remains at Duke -6.5. Louisville offers value at +210 moneyline at BetMGM, while Duke sits at -255 at FanDuel.
The Cardinals' recent 9-2 ATS record and perfect 3-0 ATS mark after underdog wins (winning by 15.3 PPG average) suggest they'll keep this championship game competitive, with potential for an upset.