Duke Blue Devils vs Virginia Tech Hokies Prediction & Match Preview - January 12, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The No. 19 Virginia Tech Hokies will host the No. 21 Duke Blue Devils in a Top 25 ACC showdown.
The Blue Devils will be looking to expand their ACC Dominance with a win against the Hokies and go to 4-0 in conference play.
Duke controls the series over Virginia Tech with a record of 32-7, winning the latest matchup 56-53 in February 2020.
Match Details
Fixture: Duke Blue Devils vs Virginia Tech Hokies - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Tuesday, January 12, 2021, 7 PM ET
Venue: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Virginia
Duke Blue Devils Preview
The Duke Blues Devils are coming off a win against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to extend their ACC record to 3-0.
The Blue Devils ended their non-conference schedule early due to COVID-19 concerns, but since ACC play has begun, Duke basketball has been on top.
During their current three-game win streak, Mike Krzyzewski's squad has been ferocious on defense, forcing an average of 16 turnovers each game.
If the Duke Blue Devils can continue their aggressive defense and force the Virginia Tech Hokies into turnovers, they will gain control of the ACC and expand their winning streak to four games.
Key Player - Matthew Hurt
Matthew Hurt is the key player for the Duke Blue Devils. Hurt is leading the team in scoring and rebounding this season, averaging 19.6 point and 8.1 rebounds on 53.5% shooting.
If the sophomore guard can continue his excellent play, his team will have a chance at upsetting the competitive Virginia Tech Hokies.
Duke Blue Devils Predicted Lineup
F Matthew Hurt, C Mark Williams, G Jordan Goldwire, G DJ Steward, G Jeremy Roach
Virginia Tech Hokies Preview
The Virginia Tech Hokies are coming off a win against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to improve to 3-1 in the ACC.
The Hokies have been getting amazing production from their bench all season. In the win over the Fighting Irish, they scored 35 points off the bench. That was the seventh time this season that Virginia Tech has produced at least 20 points from their non-starters.
If the Virginia Tech Hokies can outscore the Duke Blue Devils bench by 10 or more points, they will earn their 10th win of the year.
Key Player - Keve Aluma
Keve Aluma is the key player for the Virginia Hokies. The junior forward leads the team in scoring with 15.5 points on 52% shooting.
If Aluma can be the best player on the court Tuesday night and outplay Matthew Hurt, then the Virginia Tech Hokies will remain the team to beat in the ACC.
Virginia Tech Hokies Predicted Lineup
F Justyn Mutts, F Keve Aluma, G Wabissa Bede, G Tyrece Radford, G Nahiem Alleyne
Duke vs Virginia Tech Prediction
The Duke Blue Devils will take control of the ACC with a win over the Virginia Tech Hokies on Tuesday night.
The Blue Devils' defense will shut down their best player, Keve Aluma, forcing them to make bad decisions with the ball. Matthew Hurt will be the best player on the court and push Duke to a 33-7 overall record over Virginia Tech.
Where to watch Duke vs Virginia Tech
The game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network through WatchESPN.