The Duke Blue Devils are starting the new college hoops season on the right note and they look to continue to play sound basketball music as they take on the Georgia State Panthers at their home court inside the Cameron Indoor Stadium on Friday.

The Panthers split their first two assignments with their last game being a loss. The Blue Devils will count on momentum as they try to live up to the heavy favorites tag given to them by the oddsmakers.

The money line market will be suspended for this particular clash as the Blue Devils are foreseen to have a cakewalk over the Panthers reading through the -28.5 spread.

Even at post-Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett period, Duke remains a force to be reckoned with after their first three games of the new season. While Cassius Stanley has proven to be the most reliable scoring option for the team, his teammates have stepped up as well. Vernon Carey chalked up a double-double in their last game against Central Arkansas with 17 markers and 10 caroms. Matthew Hurt, meanwhile, went unconscious from the perimeter as he scored 19 points while being perfect from the three-point country. The bench mob should not be overlooked too as head coach Mike Krzyzewski is expected to dig deep into his rotation as the season goes on.

Facing a tall order, it will not be surprising to see the Panthers bleed for points. Kane Williams, Damion Wilson and Justin Roberts each is scoring 13 points per game but these averages are anything but consistent. To send at least a red alert to the Blue Devils, they will need better support from the rest of the team.

But while the visiting Panthers do not stand a chance from stealing the W from the Devils, backing them up on the spread market is a viable pick. The betting trend shows Georgia State winning 6-1 ATS in its last seven games while Duke failed to cover the handicap 12 times in its last 18 games.

Prediction:

Duke’s depth will annihilate Georgia State’s lackluster lineup. The home team will be off to the races immediately after tip and this will be a foregone conclusion at halftime. Duke’s scorers will be on reserved offense mode, so go UNDER the 152.5 total line. Expect the shock troopers to enter late in the second half where the Panthers could mount a slight salvo that will cover the handicap. Back them up against the spread.

Zion Williamson Duke Blue Devils
Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball against the Syracuse Orange during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

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