Syracuse @ #5 Duke

What will be the GAME RESULT?

#5 Duke: Wins By 15+ Points

Any Other Result

Current odds to win:

Syracuse Orange: (+900)

Duke Blue Devils: (-1600)

• The line for this game is Duke by 14 points.

• Fifth-ranked Duke has not missed a beat without its injured star forward Marvin Bagley III and looks to continue piling up victories when it hosts Syracuse on Saturday night in a key ACC contest. The Blue Devils have won four straight since Bagley, who leads the team in scoring (21.2) and rebounding (11.4), suffered a sprained knee and the freshman is still day-to-day. As of Saturday morning he has been upgraded to probable to play tonight.

• The Orange had won three of four before dropping a 78-74 decision to No. 10 North Carolina on Wednesday at home and have three regular-season games left – two on the road. “We did everything we could to get back in it,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told reporters after the loss. “These guys played their heart out. They have all year long.”

• Sophomore guard Tyus Battle poured in 26 points against North Carolina and leads the team at 20.1 per contest – third in the ACC – while playing all 40 minutes in nine straight games. Freshman forward Oshae Brissett (14.8 points, team-best 9.1 rebounds) has recorded three double-doubles in his last four contests while junior center Paschal Chukwu pulled in 11 rebounds in two of the past four games. Junior guard Frank Howard is averaging 18.2 points the last five games to push his season mark to 15.5 to go along with a team-high 5.1 assists.

• Allen has drained 15-of-33 from 3-point range in his last three games and all 21 free throws over the past four, enhancing his season scoring average (15.6) – second on the team. Freshman forward Wendell Carter Jr. is fourth in scoring (14.5 on 58.5 percent from field) while topping the team in rebounding overall (9.5) and is averaging 16.3 points along with 10.5 rebounds since Bagley’s injury. “Wendell has really been fantastic, not (simply) good,” Krzyzewski told reporters. “He’s had a great year, but these last few weeks he’s stepped it up even more.”

• The Orange are second in the ACC in scoring defense (64.0 overall, 65.1 in league play) and the Blue Devils stand first in scoring (87.2 overall).

• Duke sophomore C Marques Bolden, who is 16-for-20 from the field the last six games, had nasal bone surgery this week and is not expected to miss time.

• Syracuse has won the last two meetings, including a 64-62 triumph in its last visit to Duke on Jan. 18, 2016.