When a struggling power program plays against one of the best college basketball teams, something has to give. That’s the story going into Thursday night’s game between the Duke Blue Devils and the LSU Tigers. These two teams are on completely different paths in terms of success and momentum.

Duke comes to Cameron Indoor Stadium after losing three games in a row and looking for answers after UCLA beat them by 30 points. LSU, on the other hand, comes into Durham as an undefeated powerhouse. They just beat Washington State 112-35 in a game that showed why they are one of the most feared teams in women’s college basketball this season.

Duke is having trouble figuring out who it is and winning all the time. LSU, on the other hand, has already become a national powerhouse, scoring an impressive 112.0 points per game, which is the best in the country. The Tigers aren’t just winning; they’re making every opponent do what they want.

How to Watch Duke vs LSU?

Date: Thursday, December 4, 2025

Tip-off Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Venue: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina

Stream: ESPN app and ESPN.com

Duke vs LSU: Injury Report 

Duke Blue Devils: It looks like all the Blue Devils’ players are ready for this important game. The head coach should have all the rotation players ready to go, but the team may still be feeling the effects of their recent losses, both physically and emotionally.

However, rising senior Emma Koabel— a prior contributor off the bench with 68 career games— will miss the entire 2025-26 season due to a knee injury sustained over the summer with Team Canada.

LSU Tigers: LSU is fully healthy for this game, with no major injuries reported. The Tigers’ health is just one more thing that makes them more likely to win on Thursday night.

Duke vs LSU: Projected Starting Lineups

Duke vs LSU: Preview and Prediction

The numbers indicate that the two teams are operating at vastly different levels. Duke has a record of 3-5 in this contest, scoring an average of 67.9 points per game and giving up 63.6. Their defense has been decent, allowing the 172nd most points in the country, but their offense hasn’t been strong enough to win games consistently.

Toby Fournier, the team’s leading scorer, is averaging 15.8 points per game. That’s good, but not enough to beat top teams.

On the other hand, LSU is putting on a real show. The Tigers have been almost impossible to stop with an 8-0 record. Not only are they winning, but they’re destroying their opponents with a shocking +59.7 scoring difference.

Flau’jae Johnson is the team’s leading scorer with 17.0 points per game, but the offense is balanced, so any player can score a lot on any given night. In the last game against Washington State, Jada Richard showed that she is a deadly three-point shooter. The Tigers’ depth is just too much for most teams to handle.

The defensive matchup is just as one-sided. LSU scores 52.3 points per game, ranking 12th in the country. This means they are both a strong offense and a strong defense. Duke’s offense will be put to the test against a Tigers’ defense that has been shutting down opponents all season.

It’s not really a question of whether LSU will win, but by how much. Cameron Indoor Stadium will be full of energy, but Duke will need to play almost perfectly and receive some help from outside sources, such as LSU’s shooting slump, to have a real chance of winning. You shouldn’t expect either of those things to happen.

What do you think? Will Duke’s home court advantage make this game closer than expected, or will LSU’s winning streak continue?