Nothing about this NCAA Tournament has been easy for Duke.
Entering the Big Dance with serious injury concerns and missing two starters, the Blue Devils had a sluggish opening performance against Siena, where they had to overcome an 11-point halftime deficit to pull out an ugly win.
In the second round, Duke turned a sloppy first half into a rout of TCU. And in the Sweet 16, it took all 40 minutes to put away Rick Pitino's St. John's.
So it stands to reason that the Elite 8 matchup against UConn won't be easy, either. Dan Hurley brings a tremendous pedigree and has won two of the last three national championships. It's a mountain that Jon Scheyer has yet to climb as the Blue Devils head coach, and in order to do it, he's going to have to get past Hurley.
Like St. John's, UConn will bring an elite defense and physical play in the back and front courts. Tarris Reed will be a big problem inside for Cameron Boozer, and the Huskies have the guard play that can give anyone a lot of trouble.
It'll take Duke's best tournament game to date in order to punch its ticket to Indianapolis.
Final odds and a prediction for Duke vs. UConn in the Elite 8
- Spread: Duke -5.5
- Moneyline: Duke -220; UConn +180
- Point total (over/under): 133.5
Odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are liable to change at anytime.
The line has remained steady since it opened on Friday night, with Duke remaining a 5.5-point favorite. That's close to where both KenPom and Bart Torvik see it, with the former liking the Blue Devils by five and the latter by four.
Final Prediction for 1-seed Duke vs. 2-seed UConn in the East Regional Final
This game will feature two elite defensive teams. The difference will likely come down to Duke's enhanced ability on offense, particularly with the return of both Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba.
UConn has had too many spurts this year where they've gone cold on offense, and if that happens on Sunday in D.C., they'll be doomed against a Duke team that punishes you for every single mistake.
Look for Cameron Boozer to continue putting Duke on his back, Isaiah Evans to make some big shots, and for Caleb Foster to come up with big plays down the stretch as Duke makes it back to the Final Four.
Pick: Duke 70, UConn 64
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.