BC vs Duke Picks and Odds
- The Boston College Eagles (4-15, 2-11 ACC) play the Duke Blue Devils (11-11, 9-9 ACC) in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday
- Both teams would have to win the tournament to get invited to the Big Dance
- See the odds, spread, analysis, and best bet, below
The second game of the 2021 ACC Tournament will feature the Boston College Eagles and the Duke Blue Devils. Tip-off at the Greensboro Coliseum is scheduled for approximately 4:30 pm ET.
The last time the Eagles beat the Blue Devils was back on December 9, 2017. Since then, Duke has won four straight meetings between the schools. The Blue Devils are 12-point favorites in this matchup so there’s not a lot of faith in the Eagles in the gambling community.
Boston College vs Duke Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College Eagles | +12 (-116) | OFF | O 153.5 (-110) |
| Duke Blue Devils | -12 (-106) | OFF | U 153.5 (-110) |
Odds as of March 8th at FanDuel
Boston College doesn’t figure to make much noise in this tournament after only winning two games so far in 2021. They played the Miami Hurricanes tough last time out before ultimately losing the game 80-76.
Duke has had a disappointing season by their standards finishing 10th in the ACC Standings. They got motor-boated by North Carolina 91-73 in their regular-season finale.
Boston College Won’t Go Out Easy
This Boston College basketball season can’t get over fast enough for the players, coaching staff and fans. Their season never really got on track from the postponements and cancelations to the regularly scheduled beatdowns they received in conference play. Through it all, they hung in there against the Hurricanes last time out and was in a position to win the game late.
ACC tournament up next. pic.twitter.com/P3iZ7oKmCD
— BC Men's Basketball (@BCMBB) March 6, 2021
The Eagles play at the 47th fastest pace in the nation (adjusted for opponent) and they got out and ran against Miami. The total was set at 142 and it was clear early in the second half that over players had a no-doubter on their hands. Miami played the slowest-paced team in the country, Virginia, the previous game which may have contributed to their looking out of sorts in this one. Even though they won, the game looked more like a track meet than the usually plodding pace they like to play.
Duke Doesn’t Need Dancing Shoes
As crazy as it sounds, the Duke Blue Devils are highly likely to miss the NCAA Tournament this season. Unless they win five games in five days, the Blue Devils streak of 24-straight tournament appearances will be snapped at 24. It’s not all that surprising to anyone who watched them play this season. Especially in their last game against North Carolina.
Does it get better than a rivalry dub on senior night? @UNC_Basketball takes care of Duke, 91-73! 🐏🏀
Highlights brought to you by @GEICO #ACCMBB pic.twitter.com/HC9sqW6GdD
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 7, 2021
Duke needed to win the Tar Heel game to finish the season with a winning record. It became apparent early that the winning-record streak that has been going since 1994-95 would end on Saturday. North Carolina jumped Duke in the first half going up 42-26 at halftime.
The Blue Devils were miserable all day from behind the three-point line shooting 18% from distance. One bright spot was the play of Mark Williams who posted 18 points in the game.
Best Betting Angle
These two teams met back on January 6th and it was a free for all offensively. Duke ended up taking 67 shots on the night after Boston College turned the ball over 21 times. The Eagles still got 57 shots up on the night but stayed in the game largely due to hitting 56% of their three-point attempts.
This game figures to be played at a breakneck pace again which favors points. The total in the last one was 150 which was adjusted slightly this time around. The Duke defense is just slightly better than the one Boston College just saw in Miami. The Eagles were still able to score 76 points. Their offensive efficiency over the last three games sits at 1.031 compared to their .979 mark for the season. The Eagles won’t go down without a fight and, when that happens, this game will go over the total.
The pick: Over 153.5 (-110)
John has spent the past 20+ years betting sports on a daily basis and is considered by many to be a walking sports betting encyclopedia. From obscure player props to sides and totals, if there is an angle, John will find it.
