The No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers (+650 to win the national title) are out for revenge this coming Saturday, as they take their turn to host the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils, who, to this day, is the only one to defeat Tony Bennett’s team this season. Will the Cavs return the favor to Duke (+200 to win the NCAA Championship Game) and eke out a victory? Or will the Blue Devils continue their mastery of Virginia?
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Betting Preview for the Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers College Basketball Game on February 9, 2019
Where: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville
When: Saturday, February 9, 2019, 6:00 PM ET
Line: Duke Blue Devils (odds) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Duke Blue Devils (20-2 Overall / 8-1 Conference)
Duke just pummeled another hapless team in the ACC, pounding the Boston College Eagles in Durham, 80-55. As usual, RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson played like men among boys, scoring 19 and 24 points, respectively. It was not an efficient night for Barrett, though, as he went just 5-for-12 from the field. As for Williamson, he was a beast. The projected No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft shot 7-for-12 from the field and pulled down a total of 17 rebounds, six offensive. The two were even more dominant when they took down Virginia last month at home, 72-70. In that game, Barrett had 30 points, while Williamson had 27, with both players shooting above 50 percent from the field and with at least 10 field goals made each. Virginia’s defense is regarded as the best in the nation, but Barrett and Williamson just can be just too overpowering for even the best stop unit in the nation to slow down.
Duke is 12-7 against the spread (ATS) in games after a win this season. On the season so far, they are 6-1 straight up (SU).
Betting on the Virginia Cavaliers (20-1 Overall / 8-1 Conference)
The Cavaliers have waited for this day to come. Many say that the road to ACC supremacy go through Charlottesville, and on Saturday, they will have a chance to prove that in their rematch with Duke. Hopefully for the Cavs, their shooting, particularly from deep, will not stink just as it had in the first meeting with Duke. The Cavaliers shot 52.8 percent from the field against Duke, but were just 3-for-17 (17.6 percent) from behind the arc. Virginia is a much better 3-point shooting team than that and it knows it. On the season, the Cavs are 12th in the nation with a 39.5 percent shooting from distance. Furthermore, they are tops in the ACC with a 40.1 percent shooting from the 3-point region against conference opponents this season. Other than their salty 3-point shooting, the Cavs did well on offense against Duke’s vaunted defense, as they went 25-for-36 on two-point shots in that game.
Virginia is 8-3 against the spread (ATS) when playing from the comforts of John Paul Jones Arena, so far this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Virginia beats Duke, 72-67, and looks that much better as a favorite in the up and coming tournament.
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