Opening UConn vs Duke Odds, Spread, Total for 2026 Elite Eight

• The opening UConn vs Duke odds list the Blue Devils as clear favorites in Sunday’s Elite Eight
• Duke rallied from 10 down to beat St. John’s behind Caleb Foster’s gutsy return from a broken foot
• See the full UConn vs Duke odds breakdown, including spread, moneyline and total

Both #1 Duke (35-2) and #2 UConn (32-5) survived scares in the Sweet 16 and live to fight another day. Duke rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat St. John’s, while UConn blew a 19-point lead before holding off Michigan State. They’ll meet in the East Region final on Sunday at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.

It’s a matchup steeped in March history. Duke and UConn have met three times in the NCAA Tournament, including UConn’s iconic 1999 Final Four upset of a #1-seeded Blue Devils squad.

These programs haven’t played each other since 2014, and the opening UConn vs Duke odds reflect just how far apart they are right now.

Opening UConn vs Duke Odds

Duke has opened as a 4.5-point favorite and -196 on the moneyline at FanDuel. UConn comes back at +162, giving the Huskies roughly a 38% implied win probability to reach the Final Four. Tip-off is Sunday at 5:05 PM ET.

The game total is set at just 134.5. Both teams play at an identical adjusted tempo of 67.5, and both rank inside the top 10 defensively at KenPom, so that low number tracks.

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Odds as of March 27 at FanDuel. Claim the FanDuel promo code and bet on the Elite Eight.

You can also bet the UConn vs Duke moneyline on prediction market Kalshi, where Duke was priced at -203 before sportsbook lines dropped. See which prediction markets are available in your region.

Duke Sweet 16 Recap

Duke beat St. John’s 80-75 on Friday, but it wasn’t easy. The Blue Devils trailed by 10 in the second half before Caleb Foster, playing less than three weeks after surgery on a broken left foot, came off the bench and flipped the game. Foster scored all 11 of his points in the second half, including a pullup jumper and driving layup in the final minutes to seal it.

Isaiah Evans led Duke with 25 points, including multiple clutch threes during the comeback. Cameron Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Blue Devils have now won 14 straight, the longest active streak in the country.

UConn Sweet 16 Recap

UConn beat Michigan State 65-60 in a Sweet 16 thriller at Capital One Arena. Dan Hurley’s squad built a 19-point first-half lead, but the Spartans clawed back, creating seven lead changes before UConn held on.

Tarris Reed Jr. was the best player on the floor with 18 points on 8-of-16 shooting, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Alex Karaban added 15 points with three triples, while reserve Malachi Smith provided a huge spark with seven assists and four steals in 15 minutes off the bench. UConn’s ball movement was elite, racking up 20 assists on 24 made field goals.

The Huskies, who lost in last year’s national championship game, are looking to get back to the Final Four. UConn will need that kind of offensive efficiency to hang with a Duke team that allows just 63.1 points per game.

UConn vs Duke Elite Eight Matchup Preview

Duke is the clear statistical favorite. The Blue Devils rank 3rd at KenPom with a net rating of +37.68, compared to UConn’s +28.41 at 10th. Duke’s defensive efficiency (90.2, 2nd nationally) is elite even by their own lofty standards.

The interior battle will likely decide this game. Duke scores 37.2 points per game in the paint while allowing just 24.7. UConn counters with 5.1 blocks per game and 18.4 assists, the best ball-movement numbers in this matchup.

UConn vs Duke Team Stats

Duke’s 17-2 Quad 1 record is absurd. UConn has been strong at 7-3, but the gap in strength of schedule (9th vs. 61st) and scoring margin (+18.5 vs. +12.4) tells you how dominant Jon Scheyer’s group has been all season. Duke is the outright favorite in the March Madness championship odds for a reason.

That said, UConn has tournament pedigree. Dan Hurley’s squad won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024, and the Huskies have the shot-blocking and ball movement to make this uncomfortable for Duke.

Check out all the best college basketball betting apps for wagering on the Elite Eight.