The Blue Devils return to Cameron Indoor Saturday, taking on Georgia Tech in another ACC bout. Ahead of the matchup, the Blue Zone brings you some can’t-miss prop bets:
Duke (-17.5) vs. Georgia Tech
Since their win against Duke in Atlanta, the Yellow Jackets have struggled to find success in ACC play. The team travels to Durham on the heels of a four-game losing streak, including conference losses to Florida State, Boston College and Notre Dame.
Meanwhile, the Blue Devils have built up a seven-game hot streak of impressive wins since they last faced Georgia Tech. This period has been defined by exceptional personal development from sophomore forward Mark Mitchell, knockdown shooting from freshman guard Jared McCain in sophomore point guard Tyrese Proctor’s absence and a remarkable uptick in mental fortitude. Bouncing back from tough early road losses to claim a ranked win over Baylor at Madison Square Garden and gritty conference road wins at Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, it is clear that the Duke team taking the floor Saturday is not the same as the one that fell to the Yellow Jackets in early December.
Considering the opposing momentum of these team’s seasons and the Blue Devils’ impressive record of 4-1 in their last 5 games against the spread, Duke should be able to walk away with a comfortable win in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Pick: Duke -17.5
Over/Under 146.5
Despite the prospect of a large margin of victory for the Blue Devils, expect total scoring to remain under control. Duke’s 14th-ranked KenPom defense has consistently held opponents well under their scoring averages. Limiting opposing teams’ scoring has been a critical factor in the under hitting in three of its last five games. Factoring in Georgia Tech’s already lackluster 72.4 points per game as a team, good for 136th in KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency ranking, it is hard to see the collective score getting run past 146 Saturday.
Pick: Under 146.5
Jared McCain over/under 12.5 points
The December matchup between these teams contained a notably poor outing from Jared McCain. The freshman went 3-for-10 from the floor and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc in his second-career true road game. He enters this contest with seven additional games worth of experience, and, factoring in the invigorating home environment of Cameron Indoor, the 6-foot-3 guard can be expected to be notably more efficient this time around.
Also noteworthy from the prior matchup was the defensive dominance from Georgia Tech’s standout freshman Baye Ndongo. The forward was a wall in the paint — recording four blocks and a steal. His presence on the interior could prompt an adjustment from head coach Jon Scheyer that sees the team prioritize volume from deep and spacing the floor, McCain’s specialty, rather than driving to the rim with Ndongo waiting.
Pick: Over 12.5 points
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