ACC Title Pick: Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers
Duke Blue Devils (25-8 SU, 14-19 ATS) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (25-6, 12-17), 3/11/23
When: 8:30 pm ET Saturday, March 11
Where: Greensboro Coliseum
TV: ESPN
Spread Line: Duke -2.5/Virg +2.5 (Stop wasting your hard earned cash! STOP betting on games at -110 odds! Start saving TONS of money TODAY by making the switch to reduced juice -105 odds at BetAnySports Sportsbook! We’ve advertised them for over a decade with zero complaints!)
Over/under: 123
Duke and Virginia went to overtime a month ago, and now they’ll meet for even bigger stakes when they play the ACC tournament championship game Saturday night at MSG. The Cavaliers won that earlier meeting, but the Blue Devils are favored by a bucket for this contest.
Which way are we going here, our free ACC Tournament Championship pick?
College Basketball Betting Odds
Saturday’s CBB betting lines opened Duke as a one-point favorite over Virginia, with an over/under of right around 123. Early betting action then bumped the Blue Devils to -2.5.
According to Sagarin’s CBB ratings at USAToday.com, Duke should be favored by two points for this match-up.
Duke Betting Preview
The Blue Devils reached this ACC tournament championship game by beating top-seeded Miami in a semifinal bout Friday 85-78. Duke trailed the Hurricanes by a bucket late in the first half but spurted to a 41-36 halftime lead. The Devils allowed Miami to get within a bucket several times in the second half but fended off all rallies and held on for the victory and the cover as 2.5-point favorites.
Duke shot 55 percent from the field Friday, hit 21/25 from the free-throw line, and out-rebounded Miami 36-24.
The Blue Devils opened this ACC tournament with a 96-69 rout of Pittsburgh, covering at -5.5. And they finished off their regular-season slate by winning their last six games in a row. So Duke is 8-0 SU, 5-3 ATS its last eight times out.
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Virginia Betting Preview
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, reached this ACC championship game by beating Clemson Friday 76-56. That game was close for much of the first half before Virginia used an 8-0 run to lead 37-25 at the half. The Cavs then used a 13-2 run out of the locker room to take total control on their way to the W and the money at -3.
Virginia shot 50 percent from the floor Friday, held the Tigers to just 36 percent shooting, and won the turnover battle 12-6.
The Cavaliers opened this ACC tournament with a 68-59 win over North Carolina, covering at -2. And they won their last two regular-season games. So Virginia is 4-0 SU, 2-1-1 ATS its last four times out.
Duke-Virginia Recent History
These teams have split their last eight meetings SU, with the Cavaliers going 6-2 ATS. Virginia also won the only meeting between the teams this season 69-62 in overtime one month ago.
That game played under a total of 126 through regulation, tied at 58, then played over in OT.
Totals Report
The Unders are 19-13 in Duke games this season, averaging 136 total points.
The Overs are 16-15 in Virginia games this season, which are averaging 129 points.
Free College Basketball Betting Pick
Duke’s shooting the lights out in this ACC tournament, but our guess is they’ll have a little tougher time against this Virginia defense. The Cavaliers held the Blue Devils to 45 percent shooting in that victory a month ago. And we just love Virginia’s style of play. We’re betting the Cavaliers on the money line to take this ACC championship game.
