College Basketball Picks: Duke at Virginia Tech Odds and Predictions
by Richard Gardner | Bodog Sportsbook Manager - 2/25/2011
It was a rare low moment this season for Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils. On Jan. 30, Duke was blown out by St. John’s in front of a sellout crowd of 19,353 at Madison Square Garden.
The final score was 93-78, and that huge win for the Red Storm came after they had lost three in a row and five of its last six.
"I felt we were not ready to compete,” Krzyzewski said to reporters after the game. “We had blank expressions on our faces and guys weren't talking and that's my responsibility. Our program didn't do well today and that is all our responsibilities."
Apparently Coach K’s team took the loss to heart. Ever since, the Blue Devils have been on a serious roll.
On Wednesday, Duke destroyed No. 24 Temple, 78-61, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham for its seventh consecutive victory.
And it’s not just that the Blue Devils are winning – they’ve only lost twice this season, after all – it’s that they’re winning by big margins. Since the disaster at MSG, six of their seven victories have been by double digits.
Not surprisingly, it’s been a great time to bet on the Blue Devils. In fact, the only point spread they didn’t cover was the 10.5 they gave to North Carolina on Feb. 9, a 79-73 victory.
This Saturday Duke (19-2) will be front-and-center on the national stage as it travels to Virginia Tech (18-8) to play the Hokies on ESPN. Over at Bodog’s online sportsbook we’re expecting one of our most bet on games of the season for the match-up between the two ACC squads.
It will be interesting to see how the public plays this one.
On the one hand, you’ve got Duke playing some great basketball. On the other, this is a huge game for the hometown Hokies, who are looking to cement a spot in the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament in March.
Virginia Tech has won nine straight games in Blacksburg, but it’s 0-2 against Top 25 teams on the season.
The Hokies are coming off a 76-62 victory at lowly Wake Forest on Tuesday, a game that followed a disappointing 61-54 loss at Virginia.
“Eight wins in the ACC is not easy,” Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said after his team beat the Demon Deacons. “I don’t care if the league’s good, the league’s bad — it is not easy. That’s an accomplishment with three games remaining. I’m really proud of the way this team has evolved, and now we have a chance to play the best team in America and (ESPN) College Game Day can actually be there now. If we had lost this game, I’m sure it wouldn’t be the event that it’s going to be now.”
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