The final week of January transitions into February as 2024 continues to bring the college basketball heat! Teams continue to assert themselves while some have unexpected concerns. Guess what this means? That's correctt. Let's head to the state of Virginia. At Online Sports Betting, it comes time to examine an ACC matchup on ESPN. So, first, we look at Duke vs Virginia. Tech Bets featuring the Duke Blue Devils. They rumble with Virginia Tech and this is far from a layup.
- WHAT: Duke Blue Devils versus Virginia Tech Hokies
- WHEN: Monday, January 29th, 2024, 7:00 pm ET on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+
- WHERE: Cassell Colisseum, Blacksburg, Virginia
- WHY: ACC Monday Matchup On ESPN
The bettors get a little skittish with games like this sometimes. The Duke vs Virginia Tech Bets saw Duke lay a bit of a home egg versus Pittsburgh of all teams. Now, betting on the latest NCAA College Men's basketball futures is dangerous. Okay, the good news is Duke has backed off a bit to +2500. Here is that table for the Blue Devils and Hokies tonight, courtesy of Bovada Online Sportsbook.
Duke vs Virginia Tech Bets Not Sure About Duke
Duke vs Virginia Tech Bets are not sure about Duke. So, all it truly takes is one unexpected dud to create doubt with a team. Even the slightly bit of uncertainty seems to manipulate certain numbers. That throws off some data and even the sniff test. Can a bettor trust X team to beat Y? Then, it boils down to can Duke really beat Virginia Tech on the road by four or more points? Before last week, that seemed certain. Then, Virginia Tech ripped off three straight wins.
In addition, Duke endured that home loss to Pittsburgh. This was after the Blue Devils blew out the Panthers earlier in conference play. Virginia Tech is now up to 5-4 in the ACC while Duke still remains 6-2. However, there was that narrow Duke home win versus Clemson. The Tigers should have won that game. That is all we heard on Saturday afterwards. It feels like the Blue Devils are in a funk right now.
Let's grapple with this Monday night contest. Can the Hokies pull off the upset or will the Blue Devils get it together enough to win and cover?
A Little More On Duke
The Duke vs Virginia Tech Bets expound a little more on Duke. Jon Scheyer appears not too worried about his Blue Devils. Bettors remain far more concerned. So, that 15-4 record is not so bad. Even that 6-2 conference mark is fine. The problem lies in the ATS. Duke comes in 9-9-1 as favorites and 1-3-1 as road favorites. That ATS +/- of -3.1 leaves a few wagerers with some unsettled stomaches.
The other thing Duke gets nailed on is that SOS (Strength Of Schedule). It is a little lower than the appearance. Again, the tougher part of the schedule is yet to come. Everyone knows what is coming on Saturday and that is a meeting with Carolina. Better yet, do the Blue Devils look a bit too far ahead? North Carolina is the measuring stick so far in the ACC this year and Duke wants that win badly.
Those are merely a few reasons to get concerned about Duke here. However, that can fire up a team too. No one is truly sure what we may see from Duke in Blacksburg on Monday night. Players like Kyle Filipowski struggling mightily does not help. Duke enjoyed a +11 free-throw advantage in that game versus the Tigers and still only won by one. Even the foul trouble issues seem to be mounting over the past few games also.
Again, Duke headlines nine players from the Top 100 GSCI and the Duke big-man ranks fourth. If there is one matchup which ranks highly, it is the Virginia Tech forwards going against the Duke frontcourt. Lynn Kidd is far from a pushover at the Center position. Kidd can even score against the Duke forwards. The concern with him is foul trouble. Do not expect him to play a ton but the Blue Devils will be challenged.
Duke vs Virginia Tech Picks Laying Eight Points?
So, what about Duke vs Virginia Tech Picks getting 3.5 points? The thought process here is hey let us take the plunge and try our hands at an upset. It feels like Duke may be ripe for one and again this Blue Devils team feels off for some reason. Sure, they could go and prove us wrong on Monday night. On the other hand, that road ATS number is hard to ignore.
The Virginia Tech squad only possesses three dynamic offensive players. Then again, Tyler Nickel and Robbie Beran can have some offensive outbursts too. Nickel has found a bit of a home and even has started seven times this year. Virginia Tech, as a whole, can keep this game close and if it comes down to free throws, the Hokies have an advantage. They rank second in the nation at 80.3%.
There is the feeling a cover is likely here. Get the points and run here. One might even consider the moneyline at +150? Let us take a flier here.
What About The Race To X Tonight?
Finally, Duke vs Virginia Tech Bets considers the "Race To X" for tonight. This game shows an over/under at 146. Honestly, the books got this one pretty close. Our feeling is that Virginia Tech comes out firing. The Race To 10.15, or 20 in the opening 20 is a play. We take the safer Race To 10 at Even for Monday night. The Hokies should get an early lead.
Online Sportsbook Reviews To Pour Through
Now, Monday night is a bit light on slate length. Now, pour through more online sportsbook reviews where the games only get more intense this week:
