Duke Blue Devils vs. Syracuse Orange NCAAB Preview
Where: Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
When: Wednesday, February 22, 2017 – 7:00 PM ET
Line: Duke Blue Devils (-3.5) vs. Syracuse Orange (+3.5); total: 151.5 – view all NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
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Betting on the Duke Blue Devils (22-5, 10-4 ACC)
The 10th-ranked Blue Devils will be entering as winners of seven straight games. In the most recent victory, they topped Wake Forest in a fast-paced contest, 99-94. Both squads were able to hit well from the field, with Duke recording their second-best shooting day on the season (59 percent).
Six Duke players scored in double figures, including wings Luke Kennard and Jayson Tatum, and paint protector Amile Jefferson, who collectively shot 61 percent. The two swingmen unloaded six threes together, while the big man tied his season-high in blocks, with five.
Kennard (20 PPG, 52.5 percent shooting) and Tatum (16.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG) are continuing to fill their roles as the two key guys on offense, which is very timely to Grayson Allen’s sudden decline (15.2 PPG, 39.6 percent shooting). The controversy-filled Allen is still displaying skills from inside and out, but he’s averaging less points and rebounds from last year, while also shooting worse.
Wednesday night, coach Mike Krzyzewski’s boys should have an interesting matchup with the size that the opposition will bring. In the said streak, the Blue Devils are netting 79.3 points and making 49.6 percent of their shots.
Duke is 7-4 on the road this season (4-7 ATS).
Betting on the Syracuse Orange (16-12, 8-7 ACC)
After racking up five straight wins from late January to early February, Syracuse has now dropped three consecutive games. Over the weekend, they fell to Georgia Tech, 71-65, and shot an awful 35.7 percent from the floor. The Yellow Jackets’ man in the middle, Ben Lammers, had no trouble feasting on the Orange, tallying 23 points, seven rebounds, and seven blocks.
In their last three, ‘Cuse is producing lower points, rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage than their season averages. Their love for the three isn’t also doing them any favors, as they are just 20-for-84 (26.1 percent) from long distance in the said span.
Andrew White III, who transferred away from Nebraska last summer to be the Orange’s new number one option, is providing points (17.9 PPG) and treys (leads the ACC in threes made), but over his last two, he’s been bricking a lot (13-for-40), and must perform better. He should be able to keep getting help from the team’s underrated four, Tyler Lydon (13.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG), although their chances of successfully powering ‘Cuse over Duke is pretty slim.
The Orange are 7-1 SU and ATS in their last eight games at home, but they are only 2-3 (1-3-1 ATS) against the Blue Devils since 2014.
Writer’s Prediction
Duke (-3.5) wins, 79-76, barely failing to cover the spread.
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