College Basketball Pick: Duke Blue Devils vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Saturday, January 07, 2012
by Frank Martin
No. 3 Duke Blue Devils, coming off a loss to Temple, visits Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the ACC opener for both teams. The Blue Devils have not lost back-to-back games since February 2009 and are 19-2 following a loss in the last five seasons.
They have also won 11 of their last 13 road games in this series. Freshman guard Austin Rivers has been as good as advertised for Duke, averaging a team-high 15.1 points.
Tech enters on a three-game skid as first-year coach Brian Gregory faces a massive rebuilding job.
- Duke Blue Devils @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 7, 2012
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: 12 p.m., ESPNU
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SBG Global Sportsbook currently have the Blue Devils listed as 12-point favorites versus the Yellow Jackets.
Duke Blue Devils (12-2): Senior forward Miles Plumlee has been outstanding over the last six games, averaging 9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while shooting 74.2 percent from the field. He and his brother Mason are a formidable inside tandem; one of them has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in 10 of Duke's 14 games. The Blue Devils are on fire from 3-point range over the last four games, hitting 47.6 percent (39 of 82). Tyler Thornton is 7 of 8, and Ryan Kelly 7 of 10 in that stretch. Duke ranks sixth nationally in 3-point shooting percentage (42.9).
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-7): Leading scorer Glen Rice Jr. (12.5) has all but disappeared. In the last two games, Rice has scored a total of five points on 2-of-10 shooting. Rice came off the bench in Tuesday's 73-48 home loss to Alabama. The Jackets have committed an astounding 49 turnovers in their three-game skid and own an ACC-worst turnover margin of -3.43. F Kammeon Holsey has been a bright spot, shooting 68.9 percent from the field. He's coming off a 14-point effort vs. Alabama. C Daniel Miller also has been solid (7.4 rpg, 2.8 bpg).
1. Duke has won the last three games in the series by an average of 15 points.
2. Junior Mason Plumlee leads the ACC with seven double-doubles this season.
3. Tech ranks third in the ACC in field-goal percentage defense (37.8).
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Blue Devils 75, Yellow Jackets 59.
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austin rivers - brian gregory - daniel miller - duke blue devils - georgia tech yellow jackets - glen rice jr - kammeon holsey - miles plumlee - philips arena - ryan kelly