2010 Final Four Duke vs. West Virginia Picks & Predictions

Last Updated on April 3, 2010 5:00 pm by drew

Duke-WVU Pick

The featured match up of Saturday’s 2010 Final Four is between Duke and

West Virginia as the two face off at 8:47PM ET.

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These two teams will battle it out from the Lucas Oil Stadium in

Indianapolis,
Indiana. Duke was the No. 1 seed in the South Region while WVU was the No. 2 seed in the East Region.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL have made Duke a 2-point favorite over

West Virginia on Saturday evening. The over/under has been set at 131.

Duke is playing in its first Final Four since 2004. It is the 15^th Final Four appearance in school history. The Blue Devils are seeking their first national title since 2001 and fourth title in school history. Duke is 33-5 on the season and holds the most wins of any of the remaining four teams still in the tournament. The Blue Devils have won their last eight games, five of which were by double figures. Duke averages 77.4 points per-game, which ranks 25^th in the nation. The Blue Devils give up just 61.1 points per-game, which ranks 27^th. Duke is 1-0 against the Big East this season as the Blue Devils defeated

Connecticut 68-59 on Nov. 27. Duke reached the national semifinals by defeating Baylor 78-71. Duke shot just 36 percent from the field in the contest but made 12 more free throws than the Bears and hit 11 3-pointers as a team. Nolan Smith led the way for Duke, pouring in 29 points while Jon Scheyer added 20.

West Virginia is appearing in its second Final Four in school history. The Mountaineers last appeared in 1959. WVU has yet to win a national championship in men’s college basketball. WVU is 31-6 on the season and winners of their last 10 games. Seven of those 10 games were decided by single digits. The Mountaineers average 72.7 points per-game on offense, which ranks 82^nd in the country. WVU gives up 63.1 points per-game, which puts it 48^th in the nation. WVU has yet to face a team from the ACC this season. The Mountaineers reached the Final Four by defeating

Kentucky 73-66. The Mountaineers shot just 38 percent from the field in the win but hit 10 3-pointers. WVU had a solid defensive showing, holding

Kentucky to 23-of-67 shooting from the field with 16 turnovers. The Wildcats were also just 4-of-32 from 3-point land. Joe Mazzulla led WVU with 17 points while Da’Sean Butler had 18 points and six rebounds. Kevin Jones added 13 points and eight rebounds.

This game is a tough one to call. The Mountaineers have had to beat better opponents to get to this points but Duke seems to be more balanced on both sides of the ball. Look for the Mountaineers to try and be physical with the Blue Devils and control the tempo of the game. If the game is called tight, it could be a long day for the Mountaineers. But, if the refs let the teams play, we believe WVU has the edge. We like the Mountaineers with the points and the under in this contest.

Our NCAA Tournament Free Pick for this matchup is:
WEST VIRGINIA +2 and UNDER 131
Final Four Betting Trends


West Virginia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

West Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

Duke is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

W VIRGINIA: 16-2 ATS in NCAA Tournament

DUKE: 12-2 Over on neutral court if the total is 130 to 139.5

Final Four Injury Report


WEST VIRGINIA

[G] 03/30/2010 – Darryl Bryant is downgraded to doubtful Saturday vs. Duke (Foot)

DUKE

No significant injuries
Final Four Game Odds
821 West Virginia Mountaineers (+105) +2 Over 131

822 Duke Blue Devils (-125) -2 Under 131
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Posted: 4/3/10 5:00PM ET