Nobody wants to give Duke the Blue Devils any credit this year. \u00a0This is certainly not a juggernaut Duke squad but the way they are playing, and the way the rest of the nation is too, they have the feel of being one of the last teams standing when all is said and done in March. \u00a0 <\/p>\n
Thursday February 2 Duke<\/strong><\/p>\n The thing I wonder about with them is depth as they just don\u2019t get much from their bench. \u00a0It shouldn\u2019t really present itself until the ACC tourney where they could very easily be the top seed.<\/p>\n The Dookies got some revenge last time out beating St. Johns 83-76. \u00a0It was another non-cover for a team that seems to be coming in below expectations in that area as well. \u00a0Speaking of expectations though, one player has definitely been attacking them this year – 6\u201911 junior forward Ryan Kelly. <\/p>\n Despite his size he lets \u00a0the Plumlee brothers do most of the dirty work leaving Kelly to bomb away from the perimeter. \u00a0<\/p>\n He has also been of value handling the ball in pressure situations because he is such a good foul shooter – 80%.<\/p>\n Virginia Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n The Virginia Tech Hokies are staring down the barrel of another disappointing season. \u00a0This team is seemingly always on the bubble but that would actually be a step up \u00a0from where they are right now. \u00a0This team has really struggled in ACC play with just one win. \u00a0\u00a0[soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n Amazingly all but one of their games, save one, have been decided by 5 points or less. \u00a0They just can\u2019t seem to make the plays to close out close ball games. \u00a0If they want to play in the Tournament they are going to need a signature win and Thursday night is an opportunity to get one.<\/p>\n Virginia Tech may have \u00a0knack for close games but \u00a0I don\u2019t like this matchup for them. \u00a0The one league game that got away from them was against the only other team with a dominating front line – North Carolina. \u00a0Like UNC, Duke has lots of size up front. \u00a0<\/p>\n VT is far from perfect but their most obvious deficit is a lack of size. \u00a0Their leading rebounder is freshman pogo stick \u00a0Dorian Finney-Smith but he ways under 200 pounds and can be pushed around.<\/p>\n
\nCassell Coliseum
\n7:00PM
\nMoneyline: \u00a0No money line currently listed
\nSpread: \u00a0Duke -3.5
\nO\/U: \u00a0143<\/strong><\/p>\n