Dick Vitale cites defense as the key for Houston to beat Duke in Final Four

Duke and Houston will meet on Saturday with a spot in the national championship on the line. The odds in Vegas favor the Blue Devils, so what are the keys for the Cougars ahead of the Final Four matchup?

Houston is known for its defensive intensity and ability to smother even the most potent of offenses around the country. According to ESPN’s Dick Vitale, relying on these principles may be what guides the Cougars over the Blue Devils by the end of the night.

“If they’re going to win the game, they’re going to rely on their great defense,” Vitale said during a recent appearance on Pardon My Take. “There’s going to be a lot of emotion in the game for Houston as well. Because last year, they really had Duke kind of on the ropes until their star got hurt. [Jamal] Shead is with the Toronto Raptors now. I believe he got hurt, and that game turned around when he went out. So they’re going to be playing a little chip on their shoulder.”

Duke ultimately defeated Houston 54-51 in last year’s Sweet 16. The Cougars scored the first eight points in the game but weren’t able to hold onto that lead and trailed at halftime. They were ultimately outscored in the second half in a low-scoring affair.

Houston will be looking to get that win back on Saturday, however, this is nothing new to Duke basketball. The Blue Devils are in their 18th Final Four all-time and are looking to make it to the championship game for the 12th time in program history.

For Houston, a win over Duke would put the Cougars in uncharted territory, at least in the past four decades. The last time Houston was in the championship game was during its back-to-back title game appearances in 1983 and 1984. They’ve never won it all, but have a chance to change that with two more victories in March Madness.

“Let’s face it when you’re Duke, I don’t care who you play. … You play Duke and basketball, you play Kentucky in basketball, you play schools like that. Teams play at such a high level because they commit, so you’ve got to match that,” Vitale continued. “And I think Jon Scheyer has done a great job with that, getting these players to understand how it is important to play at a higher level because people want to beat you so badly.”

Tip-off between the Cougars and Blue Devils is scheduled for 8:49 p.m. ET and will air live on CBS. Duke is a 5.5-point betting favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.