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Duke Faces Upset Alert vs. Siena Saints
19 Mar
Summary
- Top-seeded Duke plays 16th-seeded Siena in the NCAA Tournament.
- Duke is a 27.5-point favorite in the matchup.
- SportsLine's model projects over 135.5 total points scored.
The 2026 NCAA Tournament East Region begins with a significant first-round matchup as the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils prepare to face the 16th-seeded Siena Saints on Thursday. Siena secured their spot by winning the MAAC Tournament, while Duke triumphed in the ACC Tournament.
The Saints, with a 23-11 record and four consecutive wins, aim to surprise. Duke, boasting a 32-2 record and an eleven-game winning streak, is heavily favored. However, Duke will be without Caleb Foster due to injury, and Patrick Ngongba II is questionable.
The game is scheduled for 2:50 p.m. ET in Greenville, South Carolina. Duke leads the all-time series 1-0. Current odds list Duke as a 27.5-point favorite.
SportsLine's Projection Model, which has a strong history with college basketball picks, simulates this game 10,000 times. The model predicts the combined score will exceed 135.5 points, a total that also occurred in their last meeting in 2015. The model also indicates one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time, with further analysis available at SportsLine.
