ACC Picks: Virginia Tech vs. Duke

Virginia Tech Hokies (22-12 SU, 18-16-0 ATS) vs. Duke Blue Devils (28-5 SU, 17-14-2 ATS)
When: Saturday March 12 2022, 8:30 PM PM (ET)
Where: Barclays Center

Point Spread: Virginia Tech +6/Duke -6 (Everygame)
Total: 138.5
Money Line: Hokies +210/Duke -263

Key Injuries

Virginia Tech VA Tech has no reported injuries at this time

Duke Duke has no reported injuries at this time

Recent Form

The Virginia Tech Hokies come into this matchup with an overall record of 22-12. On the season, the Hokies have performed well in their 23 conference games, posting a record of 14-9. This mark is good for 7th in the ACC. In addition to playing well in the ACC, Virginia Tech has performed well on the road or at neutral sites. Through 19 games, the Hokies are 11-8 away from home. Heading into this matchup, the Hokies are looking to stay hot as they try to add on to their current 3 game win streak.

The Duke Blue Devils get set to host the Hokies with an overall record of 28-5. On the season, the Blue Devils have performed well in their 22 conference games, posting a record of 18-4. This mark is good for 1st in the ACC. Heading into this matchup, the Blue Devils will be going for their 3rd straight win.

For the season, the Virginia Tech Hokies are averaging 70.4 points per game, good for a rank of 164th in the NCAA. When playing on the road, the Hokies’ scoring average drops to 66 points. The team’s defensive performance also takes a hit when playing away from home, giving up an additional 3.0 points per game. On the other side, the Duke Blue Devils are the 6th ranked scoring offense, averaging 80.6 points per game, while giving up 66.7.

Efficiency Outlook

Duke enters this matchup vs Virginia Tech, having played 32 games as the more efficient offense and defensive team. In these contests, they have posted a record of 27-5. Through 33 games, the Blue Devils are averaging 80.0 points per 70.0 possessions (NCAA Average), compared to 76.0 for the Hokies. In these situations, Duke has an average scoring margin of 14.0 points. Until this point, the Hokies have not played a game in which they were the inferior team on both ends of the court.

The Hokies come into this game with 38.2% of their overall scoring coming from made three-point shots. This figure places them above the NCAA average. So far, Duke has been a more balanced scoring team, with 30.9% of their points coming from beyond the three-point line. In terms of efficiency, Virginia Tech has been the more efficient team, connecting at a rate of 39.1%, compared to Duke at 37.3%.

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Betting Trends Worth Noting

• Hokies are 9-2 ATS in the third game of a 3-in-5 days situation.
• Hokies are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
• Blue Devils are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
• Blue Devils are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games following a ATS loss.

Joe’s Against the Spread Pick

The Hokies simply don’t match up well with the Blue Devils. They’re also going to be in a huge letdown mode, which is a real thing in college hoops. Lay the wood with the Blue Devils!