Duke basketball will look to end its drought with a win over Virginia Tech.
The 12th-ranked Blue Devils (15-4, 6-2 ACC), who haven't won in Blacksburg since 2019, play at Cassel Coliseum on Monday night (7 p.m., ESPN) at Cassell Coliseum.
Duke has lost three of its last five games against Virginia Tech. All three of those losses have come on the road against Durham, including a 78-75 loss at Cassell Coliseum last season.
Duke, which defeated Clemson 72-71, will face a Virginia Tech team that is on a three-game winning streak. The Hokies won 91-67 over Georgia Tech over the weekend.
Here's a look at other things to know and score predictions as Duke heads to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech.
Duke University Basketball Fast Break Points
It's been inconsistent for Duke this season, but the Blue Devils got some key buckets against Clemson. In his first 18 games, Duke averaged 11.4 fast break points. In the win against the Tigers, the Blue Devils had 18 fast break points. Through 19 games, Virginia Tech ranks 219th in turnover percentage and 225th in turnovers with 239. The Hokies have trouble handling the ball and could create easy scoring opportunities for the Devils.
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Kyle Filipovski, Blue Devils' presence in the paint
Duke can't afford to repeat his performance in the post like he did against Clemson. The Blue Devils outrebounded the Tigers by nine points and outscored inside. Virginia Tech got his 36 points in the paint against Georgia Tech and his 50 points from the frontcourt, led by his 18 points from senior Lynn Kidd. The Blue Devils need Kyle Filipovski to lead the improvement. Filipovski had nine points and a season-low four rebounds against Clemson. That won't happen at Cassel Coliseum, where Filipovski had 29 points and 10 boards as a freshman.
Watch out for Jeremy Roach
Jeremy Roach wasn't 100% against Clemson as he returned from an ankle injury, but maybe a trip to Blacksburg will give Roach an adrenaline boost. He had 19 points and 11 assists last season against the Hokies in Durham. As a freshman, Roach dropped 22 points in the loss to Virginia Tech.
Duke vs. Virginia Tech score prediction
Duke 76, Virginia Tech 70: The Hokies have one of the most underrated atmospheres in the ACC, and Cassell Coliseum hasn't been fun for the Blue Devils lately. But Kyle Filipovski isn't going to put up consecutive tough performances, and Duke's guards should be able to match the Hokies' backcourt strength.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
