UConn vs. Duke NCAAW Sweet 16 Prediction, Odds & Picks for March 30 - March Madness 2024
March Madness in the women's bracket will continue on Friday as the Sweet 16 kicks off, giving teams the opportunity to move within three wins of a national championship. The Portland 3 Region will not resume action until Saturday, however, as the No. 3 UConn Huskies take on the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils.
The No. 10 Huskies will look to reach the Elite Eight for the 28th time in program history, after failing to do so for the first time since 2005 last season. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils are in search of their 12th trip to the Elite Eight, and their first since 2013.
UConn will enter play with a 31-5 record, which includes an 18-0 record in conference play. They finished atop the regular season standings before winning the Big East Tournament. The Huskies defeated the Jackson State Lady Tigers and Syracuse Orange in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Meanwhile, Duke is 22-11 and finished 11-7 in ACC play. They finished seventh in the regular season standings and were bounced from the conference tournament in the quarterfinals. The Blue Devils defeated the Richmond Spiders and Ohio State Buckeyes to reach the Sweet 16. Notably, they are the lowest-seeded team remaining in the tournament.
UConn vs. Duke game details
Matchup: UConn Huskies vs. Duke Blue Devils
Date and Time: Saturday, March 30th, 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
UConn vs. Duke betting odds and spread
UConn vs. Duke key stats
The UConn Huskies have averaged 80.7 points per game this season. They rank 13th out of 360 teams in the nation in points per game and fourth in offensive rating. The Huskies have allowed 56.7 ppg, ranking 26th in scoring defense and seventh in defensive rating.
UConn is led by Geno Auriemma, who is in his 39th season leading the program to a 1211-161 record. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer has won a record 11 national titles as head coach.
The Duke Blue Devils, meanwhile, have averaged 68.9 ppg, ranking 113th in the nation in scoring offense and 90th in offensive rating. The Blue Devils have allowed 58.0 ppg, ranking 40th in scoring defense and 31st in defensive rating.
Duke is led by Kara Lawson, who is in her fourth season, leading the program to a 68-32 record. It marks her first head coaching gig after spending the previous season as an assistant coach with the NBA's Boston Celtics.
UConn vs. Duke betting prediction
The UConn Huskies are among the hottest teams in women's college basketball as they enter the Sweet 16 riding an 11-game winning streak. The Huskies' last loss came against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, who have not lost a game the entire season.
Meanwhile, the Duke Blue Devils are the lowest remaining seed in the women's NCAA Tournament. While they have played well through their first two games, they will face a tough challenge this weekend. Look for UConn to win by at least nine points.
Pick: UConn Huskies -8.5 (-110)