Duke narrowly avoided a catastrophic loss at the hands of an inspired and well-prepared Central Florida club last weekend. The close call no doubt got the attention of the Blue Devils, who must now beat ACC rival Virginia Tech to reach the Elite Eight. The Hokies won the regular-season game when both teams were short-handed. They have experience, toughness and the confidence to compete with Duke, which might seem a daunting combination. But look for the Blue Devils to respond to the challenge with a needed breakout performance.

Virginia Tech allows 61.7 ppg, the eighth best average in the nation. The Hokies’ last Over was five games ago. Head-to-head with Duke, there have been 13 Unders in the last seventeen meetings. Bettors missing on Duke’s totals, what with only 17 Overs in the Blue Devils’ last 55 outings. Tech should cap Duke’s output at 70 in this matchup.

Buzz Williams' Hokies have an offense and defense both ranked in the top 20. Virginia Tech's best player, Justin Robinson, missed 10 games this year but has been back for the Hokies' last two games. Robinson is the team's best passer and he is a 41 percent three-point shooter. Virginia Tech will not be intimated by the Blue Devils. I also like this game Under the total with the Hokies' methodical offense and both teams' strong defense.