Previewing No. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 Virginia Tech: Date, Time, Location, Spread
The Blue Devils needed some heroics from stars Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett to beat UCF and advance to the Sweet 16. The Hokies, meanwhile, eventually
The Blue Devils needed some heroics from stars Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett to beat UCF and advance to the Sweet 16. The Hokies, meanwhile, eventually eased past pesky No. 12 Liberty. Duke and Virginia Tech played once in the regular season with the Hokies winning 77-72. Both Williamson and Virginia Tech star Justin Robinson were out for that contest, but both should play in this Sweet 16 showdown.
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Overview
Date/Time: Friday, March 29, 9:39 p.m. ET
kenpom.com projection: Duke def. Virginia Tech 75-70
Betting Line: Duke -7 (Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook)
Location: Washington, DC
No. 1 seed Duke
The Blue Devils rescued their season against UCF and got some lucky rolls at the end to avoid an early trip home. Williamson scored 32 points to lead the Blue Devils in the contest, but it was Barrett’s rebound off a missed free throw and subsequent putback that sealed the deal. Barrett finished with 16 points.
Duke has star power across the board with Williamson, Barrett, Cam Reddish and Tre Jones. The Blue Devils are seventh in offensive efficiency and sixth in defensive efficiency according to kenpom.com. They have played fast all season and will attempt to keep doing so against the Hokies. The Blue Devils get a lot of blocks and steals, fueling their transition offense.
UCF got Duke in foul trouble early and also shot the ball well from behind the arc. The Knights also let Williamson take seven 3-pointers and let Jones shoot eight — the duo went a combined 4-15. Expect for the Hokies to attempt to follow a similar script.
No. 4 seed Virginia Tech
The Hokies are similar to Duke when it comes to success on both ends of the floor. Virginia Tech is 12th in offensive efficiency and 19th in defensive efficiency despite playing at one of the slowest paces in the nation. The Hokies shoot an elite percentage from behind the arc, setting them up for a UCF-like performance.
Robinson is still recovering from his injury, but Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will carry most of the scoring load. The latter struggled against Liberty, but Blackshear Jr. has been solid. He’s averaging 17.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in the tournament. If Robinson can make timely shots and provide a release valve for Virginia Tech’s stars, the Hokies have a great chance in this matchup.
Virginia Tech is going to attempt to force Duke to be deliberate offensively. The Blue Devils rely heavily on transition buckets and easy opportunities; the Hokies have to take those away. Virginia Tech doesn’t have the same level of talent as Duke, but it is a far more experienced team and has confidence from beating the Blue Devils once this season already.
