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The Boston College Eagles take on the Duke Blue Devils. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Boston College Duke prediction and pick.
Duke has had an eventful, up-and-down season under new coach Jon Scheyer, who is taking the reins from Mike Krzyzewski. You knew this would not be an easy transition for the Blue Devils to make. No transition is supposed to be easy after 42 years with a legendary coach roaming the bench in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Scheyer doesn't have a track record as a head coach to begin with, so this is very much a learning season for him as he understands everything his mentor, Coach K, had to wrestle with in the big chair of ultimate responsibility at Duke. With returning players such as Jeremy Roach under his tutelage, it's not as though Scheyer has a bare cupboard; that is certainly not the case. However, he also doesn't have Paolo Banchero, a transcendent talent who can mask and minimize the flaws on a roster and carry a team to the Final Four. This season definitely shapes up as a challenge for Scheyer and Duke.
The Blue Devils led Kansas late in their early-season meeting at the Champions Classic before Kansas's Gradey Dick scored several quick points to turn the tide for the Jayhawks and deal the Devils a loss. Duke barely beat Oregon State 54-51, a worrisome turn of events and a reminder that the Blue Devils can't just show up and expect to win. They have to focus on details and insist on getting quality shots — they hit only 27 percent of their field goal attempts versus the Beavers. Duke then got destroyed by an in-form Purdue team this past Sunday in Portland. There have been a lot of bumpy spots in the path for the Blue Devils this season.
However, Duke has also produced encouraging moments. A win over Xavier rates as one of them, and the team's most recent game — an 81-72 win over Ohio State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge — might top the list. Duke placed several scorers in double figures, getting more balance on offense than in most games it has played. The Blue Devils played a quality opponent and showed that they can be integrated and diverse in their halfcourt offense. Duke will try to carry that high-level offensive performance into this game against Boston College.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Boston College-Duke College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Boston College-Duke Odds
Boston College Eagles: +17.5 (-114)
Duke Blue Devils: -17.5 (-106)
Over: 130.5 (-110)
Under: 130.5 (-110)
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Why Boston College Could Cover the Spread
This is a possible letdown game for Duke after an eventful weekend in Portland (three games in four days) which concluded with the loss to Purdue, followed by the emotionally involving Ohio State game. Duke has played a lot of basketball and might not have a full tank of fuel for this game.
Why Duke Could Cover the Spread
Jon Scheyer can see along with everyone else that Boston College has a very vulnerable defense. The Eagles got blown out by Nebraska in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, giving up over 50 points to the Huskers in the second half. BC allowed 61.5-percent shooting, better than 52 percent from 3-point range. If that's what Nebraska did against Boston College, imagine what Duke will do.
Final Boston College-Duke Prediction & Pick
This is a game in which Duke should absolutely take apart a very bad Boston College squad. Boston College just doesn't play good defense.
Final Boston College-Duke Prediction & Pick: Duke -17.5
