Duke vs. Virginia Prediction
In the most anticipated game of the weekend, No. 3 Virginia plays host to No. 2 Duke tonight at 6PM ET. Which team has the edge in this rivalry game?
713 Duke vs. 714 Virginia
Saturday, February 9, 2019
6PM ET – John Paul Jones Arena
TV: ESPN
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Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, Virginia is the slight favorite at home, as the Cavaliers are getting odds of -1.5 points against Duke. The over/under total for this contest is listed at 135.5 points. The public betting currently has 63 percent going on Duke on the road. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Duke locked in
The Blue Devils have won six straight games following an 80-55 win over Boston College. They have covered the spread in three straight as well. Duke is 20-2 on the season, 8-1 in the ACC, 4-0 on the road, 14-8 against the spread and 15-5-2 with the under.
The Blue Devils are certainly living up to their ranking. They sit fourth in the nation in offense right now, averaging 87 points per game. Defensively, the Blue Devils give up just 65.2 points per game and they have a +11 rebounding advantage average. R.J. Barrett is leading the team with 23 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while Zion Williamson is adding 22 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Virginia on a run
Since losing at Duke on Jan. 19, the Cavs have won four straight games. UVA has failed to cover the spread in its last two contests. Virginia is 20-1 on the season, 8-1 in the ACC, 11-0 at home, 16-5 against the spread and 12-9 with the under.
Virginia has the nation’s top defense, as the Cavs are giving up just 52.9 points per game while holding opponents to 37 percent shooting from the field and 24.7 percent from the arc. Virginia is putting up 72.9 points per game on offense this season while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Ty Jerome, who averages 13 points and 4.9 assists per game for UVA, is questionable to play tonight due to a back injury. De’Andre Hunter is leading the team with 14.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Duke
The Blue Devils are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven road games and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
Virginia
Virginia is 5-1 ATS in its last six home games and 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 ACC games.
Prediction:
Virginia definitely has been a team that consistently plays Duke tough. The Cavaliers have covered in six of the last eight meetings. However, Duke has covered the last two times as an underdog against the Cavs. The Blue Devils struggled with the Virginia defense in the first meeting, but Duke has been improving a lot since that game. I think their offense will be more efficient and their defense won’t have to change too much to keep Virginia down in scoring. I expect rebounding to be more of a factor tonight and that will help the Blue Devils grab the win.
College Basketball Prediction: Duke +1.5