March Madness: 2 Best Bets for Today's College Basketball Game -- Duke vs. Siena

Very few things in sports can match the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness.

The first round kicks off on Thursday, and we have for you a single-game betting piece for each of the day's 16 games. To see thoughts on other games, check out our full March Madness predictions page.

But for Duke vs. Siena, here are my favorite bets.

All March Madness odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and may change after this article is published. Stats via Bart Torvik and KenPom.

Duke vs Siena Best Bets for March Madness

Siena Under 24.5 First-Half Points (-128)

Duke has made a lot of highlight-reel plays this season, but don't get it twisted -- this team plays elite defense and can grind it out.

On the year, per KenPom, Duke ranks second in adjusted defense and 287th in adjusted tempo. They're totally fine with a slower game.

Well, so is Siena, a team that checks in 319th in adjusted tempo.

While that nearly pushed me toward the full-game under, I prefer this market. The Saints are bad on offense (211th) and may be shellshocked early by the Blue Devils' physicality, length and size. Points should be hard to come by for Siena, especially if Duke is ready to rock from the jump, which I'm sure they will be.

Cameron Boozer Under 23.5 Points (-114)

This line is set right near Boozer's season-long points per game average of 22.5, but I think there are reasons to back the under.

The potential for fewer minutes is a big part of it. Boozer is averaging 33.0 minutes per game this year and has played at least 37 minutes in three of the last four games. But today, Duke is a 27.5-point favorite, so there's certainly a chance this gets lopsided in the second half, which could result in some extra rest for Boozer.

Early this season, when Duke played some non-conference foes similar to Siena, they notched five non-conference wins by 30-plus points. In those five games, Boozer averaged 25.2 minutes per game and 23.0 points per game.

While Siena probably won't have many answers for this season's likely Wooden Award winner, the pace of this game can also help keep Boozer in check. Like we mentioned above, Siena is 319th in adjusted tempo while Duke is 287th.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.