ESPN predicts the winner of Saturday’s Top 25 Clemson vs. Duke showdown

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After an 89-86 triple-overtime loss to Georgia Tech, the Clemson Tigers’ ACC schedule doesn’t get easier with freshman sensation Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils coming to town Saturday night for a Top 25 matchup at Littlejohn Coliseum.

The Tigers (18-5 overall, 10-2 ACC) are ranked No. 21 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. Duke (20-2, 12-0) is ranked No. 2 and routed Syracuse, 83-54, at JMA Wireless Dome on Wednesday.

Ahead of Clemson vs. Duke, ESPN Analytics’ Matchup Predictor, which offers a prediction model based on its Men’s College Basketball Power Index ratings and other variables, currently gives the Blue Devils favorable odds to win Saturday’s game: 74.3 percent compared to the Clemson’s 25.8 percent.

ESPN defines its BPI ratings as a “measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of performance going forward. BPI represents how many points above or below average a team is.”

In the loss to Georgia Tech, Chase Hunter led the Tigers with 28 points but missed a shot at the buzzer in each of the first two overtime periods that would have given Clemson the win. Hunter missed a 3-point attempt in the final overtime period that would have sent the game to a fourth overtime.

Ian Schieffelin had 23 points for the Tigers to go with eight rebounds against Georgia Tech, and Chauncey Wiggins added 15 points.

In Duke’s blowout win over Syracuse, Tyrese Proctor led the Blue Devils with 16 points. Duke enters play with the nation’s longest winning streak at 16 straight games. Their last loss came on Nov. 26 to the Kansas Jayhawks.

Tipoff for Clemson vs. Duke is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN, with Dave O’Brien, Cory Alexander and Dick Vitale on the TV call.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson odds of beating Cooper Flagg and Duke basketball, per ESPN

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-predicts-winner-saturdays-top-200755089.html

Author : Clemson Wire

Publish date : 2025-02-06 20:07:00

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