Virginia Tech at Duke NCAA Basketball Picks: ACC favorite and fourth-ranked Duke plays its ACC home opener on Tuesday night when the Blue Devils and freshman sensation Cooper Flagg welcome struggling Virginia Tech.
The Dukies are massive favorites on the NCAAB odds in Week 9
| Opening Spread/Totals Subject to Change: Duke -24.5 (total 136) Expert Prediction: Duke 77, Virginia Tech 65 |
How to Bet Virginia Tech at Duke NCAA Basketball Picks
Opening NCAAB Vegas Lines: TBA
When: Tuesday, 4:30 PM ET
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium
TV: ACC Network
Stream: ESPN+
Virginia Tech Basketball Analysis
Virginia Tech (5-7) hasn’t played since losing 82-62 to St. Joseph’s in non-conference action on Dec. 21 – the Hokies were only down two at the half. Saint Joseph’s finished 15 of 32 from deep (46.9%). It was the first time a Tech opponent hit for 15 or more threes since Duke connected on 15 on Feb. 14, 2018 in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Double-digit Scorers
For the Hokies, there were good moments but a lack of concentration popped up multiple times. Ben Hammond and Ben Burnham both finished with 11 points and were the lone double-digit scorers. Brandon Rechsteiner and Rodney Brown were solid playmakers off the bench, combining for 9 of Virginia Tech’s 15 assists, but shooting was an issue across the board so even clean looks just couldn’t find the bottom of the net. The Hokies shot 40.7% from the field and 31.8% from three.
Ben Hammond
Hammond has seen an uptick in his production over the past three games. The freshman was only averaging 2.7 points and was shooting 21.4% through his first nine games but is averaging 13.0 PPG on 72.2% from the field over the past three. The Hokies have expanded their rotation to 10 players the last few games, keyed by the emergence of Hammond and Brown. Hammond joined fellow freshman Tyler Johnson in the starting lineup for the first time this season in the Hokies’ game against Saint Joseph’s.
Mike Young
“We’re playing 10 guys and that’s a real luxury,” Tech head coach Young said. “I haven’t been able to do that in quite some time, maybe our second year together. But I’m enjoying that. … I think we’re getting pretty close to a good rotation and I think that’s important as we head into league play here soon.”
Good dish from JYoung to Tobi 🤝
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) December 21, 2024
📺 CBSSN pic.twitter.com/Kn0fdYxZSK
Jaden Schutt
Former Duke player Schutt transferred to Virginia Tech after last season. Schutt played in 14 games for the Blue Devils during the 2022-23 season before redshirting in 2023-24. He’s starting and leading the Hokies in minutes played with 28.8 per game while averaging nearly double figures (9.3) in points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He’s not shooting particularly well – 37.5 percent on threes and 36.8 overall – but clearly he’s valuable to the team. Schutt has taken 96 shots total and of those, 76 of them three point attempts in Young’s three-point happy offense.
To Keep and Eye
Since Young got to Blacksburg, the Hokies are 45-5 in contests shooting 50% or greater – only losses: vs. BYU (11/27/19), vs. Miami (1/26/22), at College of Charleston (11/20/22), at Miami (1/31/23), vs. South Carolina (11/10/23). Tech was a terrible rebounding team last season but this year ranks 39th in the country in offensive rebounding at 35.4%.
This will be the 37th time Tech will face a nationally-ranked Duke squad, including the 20th time the Blue Devils are ranked inside the top five. Tech has only won once (1-25) at Cameron Indoor Stadium, a 69-67 decision in overtime on Jan. 6, 2007.
^Virginia Tech at Duke NCAA Basketball Picks provided by MyBookie
Duke Basketball Analysis
No. 4 Duke (10-2) hasn’t taken the court since an 82-56 win at Georgia Tech on Dec. 21 to improve to 2-0 early in ACC action. The Blue Devils held the Yellow Jackets to just 20 second-half points and a season-low 56 total points. It marked the fifth different opponent this season that has been held to a season-low output when playing the Blue Devils.
Shooting Percentage
As a team, Duke shot 31-of-55 (.564), the highest shooting percentage for Duke in a game so far this season. A total of 20 of Duke’s made field goals were assisted, the second-most assists in a single game for the Blue Devils. Duke’s defense remained stout, holding the Yellow Jackets to only 7-of-28 (.250) from the field in the second half en route to outscoring Georgia Tech 41-20 following the break.
Kon Knueppel
Knueppel scored a game-high 16 points and was joined in double-figures by Khaman Maluach (15), Cooper Flagg (13) and Tyrese Proctor (10). Knueppel also finished with a game-high five assists and secured four rebounds. Maluach led the rebounding efforts overall for the Blue Devils, finishing with eight caroms. Maluach added six offensive rebounds, matching his effort against Army for the most offensive rebounds in a single game by any Duke player. The Blue Devils won the rebounding battle, 36-25, and have out-rebounded nine of their 12 opponents so far this season.
Duke is now 299-92 (.765) in conference games when ranked as a top-five team in the country. It was also the school’s 1,000th win against current ACC members (1000-512).
Kon today:
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) December 21, 2024
16 PTS
4 AST
6-10 FG
4-8 3PT
69-48 😈 | 7:44 to go pic.twitter.com/GymlmMnqe1
The Stats
The Blue Devils rank fifth in the country in field goal percentage defense (.355), seventh in scoring defense (58.5), 13th in scoring margin (+20.4), and 35th in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.55) – all top marks in the ACC. KenPom ranks the Blue Devils as the best defense in the nation with an adjusted defense efficiency rating of 88.1.
To Keep an Eye
Knueppel ranks 21st in the nation and third in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (+3.36) with 37 assists and 11 turnovers. Tyrese Proctor boasts the second-highest 3-point shooting percentage in the ACC (41.7%). The freshman Flagg, who turned 18 years old on Dec. 21, tops Duke in points (196), rebounds (103), assists (42) and blocks (15). Flagg was voted as the ACC Rookie of the Week for the fourth time on Dec. 23.
The Record
Duke has a 14-3 record on Dec. 31 all-time. The Blue Devils have won 10 of their last 11 contests on the final day of the calendar year, including back-to-back victories (2019 and 2022). Duke last played on Dec. 31 in 2022, an 86-67 conference win over Florida State in Durham.
The Blue Devils are 59-12 in ACC home openers, including 17 consecutive victories.
^Virginia Tech vs Duke Series History
Duke leads the series with Virginia Tech, 53-13. Last season, they played just once and Duke won 77-67 at Blacksburg behind 16 points off the bench from Jeremy Roach. Duke grabbed the lead with a 12-0 run in the first half and never relinquished it. The Blue Devils had lost five of their previous six visits to Cassell Coliseum.
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2019 Virginia Tech vs Duke March Madness
No. 1 overall seed Duke remains the Mybookie Sportsbook favorite to win the national title, but the Dukies are very fortunate to even be in Friday’s East Region Sweet 16 game against fourth-seeded and fellow ACC school Virginia Tech. Duke is solidly favored at the latest March Madness odds to advance to the Elite Eight.
How to Bet Virginia Tech vs Duke March Madness Spread & Game Info
- When: Friday, 9:40 PM ET
- Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
- TV: CBS
- Live Stream: March Madness Live
- Stream on Reddit: Live and available Friday, 8:40 PM ET
- March Madness Spread: Duke -7.5 (Total 144.5)
Auburn vs North Carolina March Madness Lines / Live Stream / TV Channel, Date / Time & Prediction
First Meeting
On Feb. 26, No. 20 Virginia Tech upset No. 3 Duke 77-72 in Blacksburg but both teams were without key players: ACC Player of the Year Zion Williamson for the Blue Devils and excellent point guard Justin Robinson for the Hokies. Kelly Blackshear Jr. had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Ahmed Hill scored 17 points for Virginia Tech-Duke hasn’t won at Virginia Tech since Feb. 25, 2015. RJ Barrett scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half for the Blue Devils. Tech coach Buzz Williams is 3-3 in matchups against Duke.
Why Bet on Virginia Tech?
The Hokies were 14-point winners in Round 1 over No. 13 Saint Louis and then 67-58 winners over Liberty in the second round. Liberty had 9-0 run early in the second half put the Flames up by five. The Hokies tightened up defensively after that and Liberty missed 11 of 12 shots from the field — with six of the misses from 3-point range. Liberty also committed four turnovers and trailed 56-49 after a layup by Nickel Alexander-Walker with about four minutes to go that capped an 11-0 run. After a Liberty 3-pointer with 2:20 remaining to make it a five-point game, Justin Robinson came down the court and hit a clutch 15-foot jump shot to push it back to a seven-point advantage.
Four Hokies scored in double figures, with forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. leading way with a team-high 19 points and nine rebounds. Guard/forward Ty Outlaw had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, the first double-double in an NCAA Tournament game by a Hokie since Bobby Beecher in 1986 and the eighth all-time.
Tech dominated inside, outscoring the Flames 30-10 in the paint. It also capitalized off Liberty miscues, outscoring Liberty 15-7 in points off turnovers. The Hokies held the Flames to just six made field goals in the second half.
It’s the first time in school history since the field expanded to 64 that Tech has reached the Sweet 16. The only other time the Hokies made it this far in the NCAAs came way back in 1967 when they won two games before losing to Dayton in the regional final of a 23-team tournament. The 26th overall win of the season set a school record and was coach Buzz Williams’ 100th win at Tech.
For only the third time in NCAA Tournament history, an ACC matchup will take place in the Sweet 16. The two other times were in 2018 (Duke vs. Syracuse) and 2015 (Louisville vs. NC State).
Team Stats
Offense
- Total Score: 73.56
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.23
- Three-Point Percentage: 39.50
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.02
- Total Rebounds: 32.53
Defense
- Total Score: 61.88
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.39
- Three-Point Percentage: 32.75
- Free Throw Percentage: 72.23
- Total Rebounds: 30.21
Why Bet on Duke?
By far the game of this tournament was Duke’s thrilling 77-76 win over No. 9 Central Florida in the second round. Blue Devils superstar Zion Williamson made a layup over 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall with 14.4 seconds left to draw Duke within a point at 76-75 as Fall fouled out on the play. Williamson missed the free throw, but RJ Barrett scored on a putback to put the Blue Devils (31-5) ahead.
UCF had plenty of time to win. B.J. Taylor missed a short jumper, and Aubrey Dawkins failed on his tip attempt with less than two seconds left, the ball spinning off the rim. Almost impossible that shot didn’t go down. Duke got the rebound, ran out the clock and moved on to the Sweet 16 for the 27th time and fourth time in the past five years. Duke was outscored 40-33 in the second half, just the ninth time this season the Blue Devils were outscored in the second half of a game.
Duke was one of the nation’s worst three-point shooting teams this season but recorded the third-best game of offense that any UCF opponent posted all season, and the Blue Devils’ 10 made 3s (on 40 percent shooting from beyond the arc) represent the team’s best number in six weeks. Still, UCF, a 9-seed, made a Duke squad that connected on 40 percent of its 3-point attempts look vulnerable.
Williamson scored 32 points with 11 rebounds for his 13th double-double this season, and second in as many NCAA Tournament games. His 32 points are tied for the fourth-most by a Blue Devil in the NCAA Tournament, and the most since Jason Williams scored 34 versus UCLA in 2001. His performance also set the Duke freshman record for points in an NCAA Tournament game. Williamson had four assists, to mark the first 25-10-4 game for the Blue Devils in NCAA Tournament history.
Williamson posted just the third 30-10 game in Duke’s NCAA Tournament history and the first since Danny Ferry had 34 points and 10 boards versus Seton Hall in 1989. Williamson now has 16 25-point games this season, the second-most in a season under Coach Mike Krzyzewski. The record is 22 held by J.J. Redick in 2005-06.
Freshman Barrett scored 16 points with eight rebounds and four assists, moving into fourth place on Duke’s single-season scoring list with 821 points this season. He surpassed Johnny Dawkins (809 in 1986) in the game. Dawkins is the coach of UCF. Duke is 3-0 in one-point games this season and 37-22 under Coach K.
Team Stats
Offense
- Total Score: 83.36
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.72
- Three-Point Percentage: 30.74
- Free Throw Percentage: 68.72
- Total Rebounds: 41.50
Defense
- Total Score: 67.64
- Field Goal Percentage: 39.64
- Three-Point Percentage: 29.75
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.73
- Total Rebounds: 35.56
LSU vs Michigan State March Madness Odds / Live Stream / TV Channel, Date / Time & Pick
Virginia Tech vs Duke March Madness Betting Trends
- Blue Devils are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win
- Under is 13-4 in the last 17 meetings
- Hokies are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings
- Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings
Expert Final Prediction for Virginia Tech vs Duke
Virginia Tech 70 – Duke 74
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