Nov 23 NCAA Odds: No 14 Kansas Jayhawks VS No 6 Duke Blue Devils

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Frank Martin

No. 6 Duke Blue Devils has made five trips to the EA Sports Maui Invitational in school history. The Blue Devils have yet to lose a game on the island. The backcourt trio of Seth Curry, Austin Rivers and Andre Dawkins carried Duke over No. 15 Michigan in the semifinals on Tuesday, setting up a powerhouse matchup against No. 14 Kansas in Wednesday’s final.

The Blue Devils improved to 14-0 in the tournament by shooting 57 percent against the Wolverines’ halfcourt defense. The Kansas Jayhawks advanced by scratching out a tough victory over Georgetown on Monday and then outlasting stumbling UCLA, 72-56, on Tuesday. Kansas has the experience in the backcourt to keep up with Duke and Thomas Robinson will battle down low against the Blue Devils’ Mason Plumlee.

- #14 Kansas Jayhawks @ #6 Duke Blue Devils
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Where: Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina, Hawaii
TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Blue Devils have opened as 4.5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.

Kansas Jayhawks (3-1): Jayhawks coach Bill Self admitted after the win on Tuesday that he had brought his team to Maui to face Duke, hoping to get a test against a National Championship contender. Elijah Johnson scored a career-high 23 points on Tuesday and will help keep the pressure off guards Tyshawn Taylor and Travis Releford if he can continue to be an offensive weapon. Robinson has recorded a double-double in each of the Jayhawks’ four games and is shooting 51 percent from the field.

Duke Blue Devils (6-0): The Blue Devils lost their top three scorers to the NBA draft but don’t seem to have lost a step. Freshmen Ryan Kelly and Rivers have jumped into the starting lineup to provide immediate scoring help while Curry and Dawkins have each picked up their game. Michigan came into Tuesday’s game as one of the strongest defensive teams in the tournament and the Blue Devils had their way from the outside, knocking down 11 of 21 from beyond the arc.

1. Duke leads the all-time series, 6-2, with seven of the eight meetings being decided by seven points or less.

2. Kansas won the last meeting, 69-65, in the 2003 Sweet Sixteen.

3. The Jayhawks won the Maui Invitational in 1996.

Bet on NCAA College Basketball games with SBG Global Sportsbook, click here!

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andre dawkins - austin rivers - bill self - duke blue devils - elijah johnson - kansas jayhawks - lahaina civic center - mason plumlee - maui invitational - rivers have

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