Duke has really struggled against the spread on the road recently, covering once in its last six games away from home. But a matchup with lowly Wake Forest, a team the Blue Devils have beaten 10 straight times, could be just the recipe to reverse their woes.
- Date/Time: February 25, 7 p.m. ET
- Arena: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
- TV Coverage: ACC Network
- Sportsbook Odds: Duke -10.5 | O/U 149.5
- Duke vs Wake Forest Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Duke has not been emphatically beating lesser opponents recently, especially on the road. That seems like the only reason that the Blue Devils opened as just 10.5-point road favorites against a team they’ve won 10 in a row against — by an average of 16 points, including a 31-point blowout in January. The total opened at 149.5 points, as both teams have been putting up a lot of high-scoring games lately and their last three head-to-head matchups have averaged a combined total of just over 147 points.
Duke News & Notes
After an embarrassing effort in which the Blue Devils lost by 20 points to N.C. State last Wednesday, Duke rebounded with a strong 88-64 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
While Duke currently sits sixth in the national rankings and just a half-game out of first place in the ACC, the Blue Devils have not been playing overly inspiring basketball lately. They are just 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall, and they’ve failed to cover the spread in five of their last six road games.
Duke will look to reverse its recent road ATS woes with a visit to Wake Forest on Tuesday; the Demon Deacons are near the bottom of the conference, Duke has beaten them 10 straight times and has covered the spread in four of their last five meetings — including that 31-point home victory earlier this season.
Wake Forest News & Notes
Following an 86-79 home loss to Georgia Tech last Wednesday, Wake Forest dropped to just 11-15 on the season and 4-12 within the ACC — putting the team 14th out of 15 programs in the conference.
The Demon Deacons have lost four of their last five games, and seven of their last nine, but they have remained competitive in games, as they are 7-3 ATS over their last 10 games. Wake Forest actually has a better ATS record this season than their opponent Tuesday, but they’ve lost the last three head-to-head matchups by an average of 18 points, including a 90-59 loss in January.
Currently sporting the 271st-ranked defense in the nation, the Demon Deacons have seen the total go OVER in nine of their last 11 home games, and considering they’re facing Duke’s fourth-ranked offense, it’s safe to assume that another high-scoring game is on tap.
Betting Pick: Duke -10.5
The Blue Devils have struggled ATS recently, especially on the road, but the loss to NC State should serve as a wake-up call … and Duke has absolutely owned Wake Forest. They won’t have a lackluster effort in this game.
- The OVER is 10-2 in Duke’s last 12 games.
- The OVER is 12-5 in Wake Forest’s last 17 games.
- Wake Forest is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on a Tuesday.
