The Virginia Tech Hokies take on the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils on Saturday in an ACC college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 12:00 p.m. ET in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Blue Devils are listed as 10.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 146.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this ACC college basketball matchup.
Virginia Tech vs. Duke prediction, preview
Duke is one of the best teams in the country and currently has the third-best odds to win the national title at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Blue Devils are 19-1 and are the only undefeated team left in ACC conference play. Freshman forward Cameron Boozer ranks fourth in the nation in points per game and 19th in rebounds per game. At 23.5 PPG and 9.9 RBG, he is a top candidate for national player of the year. Duke is also one of the most well-rounded teams in the country, as it can win any style of game. Duke can run with the best offenses in the nation and play in the half-court on both ends. Only Duke and Arizona rank top five in the nation in both offensive rating and defensive rating.
Virginia Tech is having a good season, firmly in the middle of the pack of the ACC. The Hokies are firmly in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid. They are currently the “Last Team Out” according to Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology. If they can find a way to upset the Blue Devils, it could be the signature win they need to cement their name in the tournament field. The Hokies already took down one of the best teams in the conference, UVA, earlier this season. It will be on junior forward Amani Hansberry, the Hokies’ leading scorer and rebounder, to try to stop Cameron Boozer and give Virginia Tech a chance to win.
Virginia Tech vs. Duke pick
My best bet for this game is for Duke to cover the 10.5-point spread. The Blue Devils have been demolishing teams as of late. Last time out, they beat a ranked Louisville team by 31 points. In their three games before that, they beat Wake Forest by 21, Stanford by 30, and Cal by 15. Duke is such a tough team to play against because of the different ways that they can beat you. The Blue Devils don’t play particularly fast, but they are more athletic than Virginia Tech and can pick up cheap points in transition when they want to. Virginia Tech does not play at a fast pace either, and they will likely try to slow the game down and play in the halfcourt. The problem is that Duke is arguably the best half-court team in the country. Cameron Boozer and the Duke squad should be too much and will wear down Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils should make it five straight wins by at least 15 points.
