Houston vs. Duke basketball injury report and predictions, April 5: Latest on Ramon Walker and more
The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils will face the No. 1 Houston Cougars in the Final Four on Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET. The winner will advance to the national championship game, where they will play the winner of Auburn vs. Florida.
As with every game, the injury report will be a factor. The Blue Devils don't have any players listed on their injury report. The Cougars have two players out with injuries.
Houston vs. Duke basketball injury report
Jacob McFarland, Houston
Jacob McFarland is a recruit who came to Houston in the 2024 class and was expected to have an impact on the team as a freshman. However, he broke his leg in October before the start of the season. He was forced to undergo surgery and was ruled out for the rest of the year. As a result, he will not be available for Houston vs. Duke.
Ramon Walker, Houston
Ramon Walker has not appeared in a game for Houston since Dec. 10 because of a hand injury. He is listed as a game-time decision for this matchup against Duke. However, Walker did not play a big role before his injury, only averaging 2.0 points per game. As a result, it would be a surprise to see him play in Houston vs. Duke, even if he is medically cleared to play.
Houston vs. Duke basketball prediction
The Duke Blue Devils come into this Final Four matchup as the most dominant team in the tournament. They have won three of their last four games by margins of 20 or more points, including defeating No. 2 Alabama 85-65 in the Elite Eight. Their only relatively close matchup was against No. 4 Arizona in the Sweet 16, where they won 100-93.
Conversely, Houston has not had an easy path to the Final Four. While they defeated No. 2 Tennessee 69-50 in the Elite Eight, the previous two rounds were not easy. The Cougars defeated No. 4 Purdue 62-60 in the Sweet 16 and won 81-76 against No. 8 Gonzaga in the second round.
Duke is a -270 favorite and Houston is a +220 underdog heading into the game. We agree with the sportsbooks and think the Blue Devils will come out on top.
Prediction: Duke 74, Houston 66