Georgia Tech vs. Duke Preview
DURHAM, NC (AP) – Duke has continued to add to its ACC win streak despite Kyle Singler’s shooting woes.
A home matchup with struggling Georgia Tech on Sunday night could keep the fifth-ranked Blue Devils rolling and help Singler break out of his funk.
With some strong defense, Duke (24-2, 11-1) recorded its ninth straight win in conference play Wednesday, 56-41 at Virginia. While recording their season scoring low, the Blue Devils held the Cavaliers to 28.6 percent shooting and gave up their fewest points since a 76-41 win over Gonzaga on Dec. 19, 2009.
Current college basketball odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made Duke -21 point spread favorites for Sunday’s game against Georgia Tech. Current college basketball public betting information shows that 52% of more than 593 bets for this game have been placed on Georgia Tech +21.
Nolan Smith continued his torrid run through the ACC with 22 points. Ryan Kelly chipped in 11, but Singler tied a career low with two. He missed four of five shots in the win and is shooting 31.9 percent over the last four games.
The senior forward has averaged 10.0 points over that stretch – 6.9 fewer than his season average – but will face a team that he scored a career-high 30 points against in 2009-10.
Singler had that performance in an 86-67 home rout of then-No. 21 Georgia Tech and matched that effort in his return to his native Oregon on Nov. 27.
Singler, though, also missed 12 of 15 shots while scoring 20 points in Duke’s ACC tournament championship victory over the Yellow Jackets. He’s nine points shy of becoming the 21st player to score 1,000 career points in his conference’s regular season.
The Blue Devils have won 26 of the past 29 matchups with Georgia Tech (11-14, 3-8) and 30 of 35 at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
This time, they’ll face a Yellow Jackets team that’s dropped five straight in conference play and 14 in a row on the road. Georgia Tech, though, is coming off 62-53 win against visiting Chattanooga on Wednesday.
Glen Rice Jr. led the way with 27 points, one shy of matching his career high, and Iman Shumpert had 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Shumpert is among the ACC’s scoring leaders (17.4 ppg) and is averaging a team-best 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.7 steals. Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said the junior guard will also have the assignment of slowing down Smith, who leads the ACC with 21.4 points and 5.4 assists per game.
“Smith is quicker now than I’ve ever seen him, and I’ve watched him since high school,” Hewitt said. “He’s also a dangerous 3-point shooter. If you play the drive too much, he’ll knock it down from the top of the key.”
Georgia Tech will need plenty of help to snap Duke’s NCAA-best, 33-game home win streak and a better offensive performance. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 63.0 points on 36.2 percent over their last six games.
“They’re an outstanding shooting team. They got a guy who’s playing as well as anyone in the history of the ACC in Nolan Smith,” Hewitt said. “It’s going to be a tall task for sure.”
The Blue Devils have also won 16 consecutive ACC home games, 27 straight in their home state and 53 in a row at Cameron against unranked opponents. They also lead the series 61-22.
Duke hasn’t won 10 straight in conference play since opening 10-0 in 2007-08.
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