Saturday’s second national semifinal showdown in San Antonio at the Final Four will see No. 1 seed Duke face No. 1 seed Houston in a rematch of last year’s Sweet 16 clash won by the Blue Devils. Duke advanced to the Elite Eight last spring with a dramatic 54-51 win over the Cougars.
Led by superstar freshman Cooper Flagg, Duke is making its first appearance in the Final Four in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era. The Blue Devils advanced to the final weekend of the college basketball season after recording a statement win over No. 2 seed Alabama. Duke has led by double-digits in all four of its NCAA Tournament games.
Houston also had a statement performance in the Elite Eight with a 69-50 win over No. 2 seed Tennessee. The Cougars finished ranked No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency and team 3-point field goal percentage, per KenPom. Duke is the tallest team in Division l basketball, with the top-ranked unit in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Final Four 2025 picks: Expert predictions for March Madness, NCAA Tournament, national champion
Kyle Boone
The winner of this game faces No. 1 seed Florida in Monday’s title game.
LIVE updates: Follow along with analysis as Duke meets Houston in the 2025 Final Four.
Where to watch Duke vs. Houston live
Date: Saturday, April 5 | Time: 8:49 p.m. ET
Location: Alamodome — San Antonio
TV: CBS | Streaming: March Madness Live
Duke vs. Houston prediction, picks
All odds via SportsLine consensus.
For all the deserved attention that goes to Houston’s defense there is the somewhat less discussed aspect of Duke’s defense, which ranks fifth nationally overall in defensive efficiency and second only to Houston among Final Four participants. This is a group that just held Alabama 25 points below their season scoring average in an 85-65 win and have allowed more than 70 points just twice in their last 15 games (since Feb. 12).
Now, there are outcomes where Houston can win the game and still end up going under this team total but even those scenarios speak to a game that is played at a slower pace with a grinding style. Duke’s length at the rim is set up to limit Houston’s ability to get easy buckets, which in turn will contribute to lower scoring overall. Pick: Houston Team Total Under 66.5 — Chip Patterson
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