The NCAAW Tournament Elite 8 is here, so bettors, get your popcorn out!
(Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Dawn Staley and
No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks
(33-3) will face off against Kara Lawson and
No.2 Duke Blue Devils
(29-7) this afternoon.
9.5 point favorites, the Gamecocks will make their fifth consecutive NCAAW appearance. As for Duke, the Blue Devils will dance their way to the Elite 8 for the first time since the 2012-2013 season. South Carolina leads the regular season series 1-0, can they extend that lead in a single elimination round?
One of these teams will walk away with a chance to emerge as a Final Four team. With the stakes extremely high, which team will dance their way to Tampa, Florida?
Odds Are Current As Of March 30 AT 9 A.M. ET
If you're looking to bet on and support women's sports, welcome! 7-1 in the last eight NCAAW bets, I've been sizzling!
Today's matchup will tip off at 1:00 p.m. ET and will take place in Birmingham, Alabama. Airing on ESPN, let's stay hot and continue to build the bankroll!
In this article are my best bets for the Sunday, March 30 NCAAW Elite 8 matchup featuring Duke and South Carolina!
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NCAAW Tournament Elite 8 Best Bets: Duke Blue Devils vs South Carolina Gamecocks FanDuel Odds For March 30
MONEYLINE
- DUKE BLUE DEVILS: +340
- SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS: -470
SPREAD
- DUKE BLUE DEVILS: +9.5
- SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS: -9.5
OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)
- OVER: 128.5 (-110)
- UNDER: 128.5 (-110)
LAST THREE HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUPS: DUKE VS SOUTH CAROLINA
- December 5, 2024: South Carolina 81, Duke 70
- December 3, 2023: South Carolina the 77, Duke 61
- December 15, 2021: South Carolina 55, Duke 46
NCAAW Tournament Elite 8 : Duke vs South Carolina Predictions for Sunday, March 30
Best Spread Bet: Duke vs South Carolina
March Madness comes down to coaching, and we have a matchup between two of the best in the business, Dawn Staley and Kara Lawson.
The overwhelming favorites to win it all prior to the season, the Gamecocks have looked a bit disheveled at times. For a minute, I thought
South Carolina
was going to get booted by Maryland in the Sweet 16.
Don't get me wrong, South Carolina is a talented team. They have the deepest bench in all of NCAAW basketball. They additionally have the No. 12 most potent offense in the NCAA Tournament (80.5).
However, there's some real concern, and this is the first time I've admitted to this all season. Cruising to a 108-48 first round victory over Tennessee Tech in the first round, it's been a bit tumultuous for Staley and company.
South Carolina's Recent Struggles Are Concerning
I originally thought to believe the Gamecocks 64-53 victory (+11) was a fluke. For a team that averages 80 points a game, South Carolina shot 24-55 (43.6 %) from the field, and couldn't find one player to explode to take the lead. Scoring just nine first quarter points worried me as a bettor. It was an all around scrappy game.
The trajectory stayed the same in South Carolina's 71-67 (+4) victory over Maryland in the Sweet 16. MiLaysia Fulwiley was once again the hero off the bench, leading the Gamecocks with 23 points. Looking out of sync the entire game, the Gamecocks shot 45-65 (38.5 %) from the floor, and 4-15 (26.7 %) from the three. Are you telling me Maryland has great defense? The game prior, Alabama poured 108 on their heads.
Aside from Fulwiley and Chloe Kitts masterful double-double performance, the offense scares me. If this team wants to win, Sania Feagin, Bree Hall, Raven Johnson, Joyce Edw ards, and Te-Hina Paopao cannot combine for 6-29 (20.6 %) shooting.
Duke's Defense Has Been Abysmal
Tell me why the Gamecocks are now 9.5 point favorites today? Sure, the Gamecocks defeated Duke 81-70 back in early December. In fact, the Gamecocks shot well over 50 percent from the field and beyond the arc thanks to a well balanced scoring attack. Chloe Kitts led the way with 21 points, and the bench provided 30 points.
For Duke, Delaney Thomas and Taina Mair led the way with 14 a piece.
While this signals who the Gamecocks have been all season, that's vastly changed. These are two very different teams, which makes March so MADNESS!
We are looking at a young Duke team, who's far exceeded expectations under Kara Lawson. Improving every season under her leadership, their defense is truly unmatched.
Defeating Oregon in the second round (59-53), and North Carolina (47-38), there's no question this Duke team struggles from an offensive stand point. Averaging just 53 points in the NCAAW tournament, Duke get's a South Carolina team who limited opponents to 57.6 points in the regular season.
Duke's Defense Should Keep The Blue Devils In This
In fact, Duke is limiting opponents to an average of 56 points in the tournament! Compare that to a
Duke
team that's averaging 34.6 % over the last two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
As much as I'm worried about South Carolina's offense, Duke's worries me further. While they truly lack star power, it's their defense that's kept them in this.
It's the perfect opportunity for Duke to disrupt an already struggling Gamecocks offense. Do I think Duke can upset? Not really. However, holding North Carolina to 38 points was impeccable. Not to mention, they held Oregon and UNC to a combined 34.35 % from the floor over the last two rounds.
I'm not impressed by either side, and I do believe this game will be much closer than their first matchup. What stands out are two elite defenses. With that, I'm inclined to take the under, however, 124 is a bit low. The question remains, which Gamecock will step up today against a stingy Duke defense?
Final NCAAW Tournament Elite 8 Betting Prediction: Duke +9.5 (-118 FanDuel)
Duke is averaging 25 first half points in the last two rounds, while liming opponents to an average of 24 first half points in the round of 32, and Sweet 16. I can see Duke's defense salivating now, as South Carolina has averaged 28 points through the first two quarters against Indiana and Maryland.
Duke lacks star power, where we know the capability of South Carolina. With a +7.5 point differential against Indiana and Maryland, do they really deserve a 9.5 point cushion? While South Carolina is the much more gifted team with more star power, they've yet to show me why they should be favored this much.
- Give me Duke to cover the +9.5 point spread today vs South Carolina.
Bonus Bet
- 2-Leg Parlay
- Chloe Kitts to record a double-double (+160 FanDuel)
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