March Madness betting has so much parity this year that the blowouts may stop completely after round one. When East Region No. 2-seeded Duke takes on No. 7 Texas on Saturday, online betting fans should expect a very close contest. The starting lineup edge in the Duke vs Texas odds probably goes to Duke, which has been buoyed by strong guard play the last couple of months.

Jon Scheyer has been a total revelation since moving into the starting lineup in February and averaged 19.5 points per game over the Blue Devils’ last six regular season contests; he joins swingman Gerald Henderson as a real difference-maker in the lineup and led Duke with 15 points in its opening-round rout of Binghampton.

While Duke likely has the edge in scoring and shooting ability entering this sportsbook clash, Texas is probably the deeper, tougher squad, getting by with strong rebounding, overall athleticism and defense. Though the Longhorns aren’t considered strong offensive threats in March Madness betting, they flashed some firepower against Minnesota in their 76-62 first-round win. A.J. Abrams was a force, dropping 26 points, and can be deadly when his shot is working.

Overall, though, Duke is a major step up from Minnesota. The Blue Devils are the better-coached team and have faced much tougher competition this season, so they should be better prepared. Texas relied on 11-of-20 three-point shooting to topple Minnesota and is unlikely to stay that hot against Duke. Bet on the Blue Devils to outclass Texas in this March Madness betting matchup.

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