Syracuse vs. Duke: NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions

Just when the rest of the ACC thought it was safe, Duke is back. The Blue Devils appear to have put things together and will face another one of the ACC’s hottest teams when Syracuse comes to Cameron. Here’s our NCAAB pick for tonight’s game.

Syracuse Orange vs. Duke Blue Devils

Monday, February 22, 2021 – 07:00 PM EST at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Apparently, Duke’s rebuild took all of three and a half months. All season long, the storyline has been that college basketball’s legendary powers—Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan State, Kansas and Duke—had fallen on hard times. One week into February, the Blue Devils were under .500 for the first time since 1999 and about to have their best freshman, Jalen Johnson, opt out of the rest of the season. A funny thing happened on the way to the NIT, however—just when the rest of the ACC thought it was safe, Duke is back and playing its best basketball of the year.

The Blue Devils blew out NC State and Wake Forest in back-to-back road games, sweeping the two in-state foes by a combined 40 points. Then came the real test. On Saturday, ACC leader and defending national champion Virginia came to Durham with its vaunted defense and a deadly perimeter offense.

Duke was able to hang with the Cavaliers, speeding the game up and matching Virginia, three for three and stop for stop. In the end, the Blue Devils made the big play and pulled out a 66-65 season-saving win. Suddenly, Duke is in a multi-team tie for fifth in the ACC, a half game out of one of the much-coveted double byes in the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils are looking to win their fourth straight in a Monday night game against another team in the fifth-place ACC logjam—Syracuse. The Orange have also won three straight games and four of five.

Back on the Bubble

Syracuse is used to being on the NCAA bubble. In recent years, it seems like it might be coach Jim Boeheim’s second home. This year is no different, as the Orange’s recent hot streak has pulled them up to a 13-6 record, 7-5 in ACC games. Syracuse has built its record on home dominance, going 11-1 in the Carrier Dome and 2-5 on the road. A Feb. 9 win at NC State snapped a four-game road losing streak for the Orange. The Orange are also 0-4 in Quadrant I games and will be looking to break through with a resume-boosting win at Duke. They’re coming off of a dramatic 20-point comeback to beat Notre Dame on Saturday.

Quick Turnaround

While both teams are playing with a short turnaround from Saturday’s wins, it could be more of an impact for the Blue Devils, who will need to solve the Syracuse zone defense, on the heels of another tricky defensive puzzle against Virginia.

The Blue Devils are also still setting their rotation following the departure of Jalen Johnson, who left the team a week ago to prepare for the NBA Draft. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim made headlines by ripping Johnson’s decision last week, adding a bit more drama to the key ACC game. Johnson was already seeing his role diminished when he left, however, as fellow freshman Mark Williams has taken on a bigger role. Williams, a center, gives Duke an inside attack that it lacked while struggling earlier in the season. Freshmen Henry Coleman and Jaemyn Brakefield are also blossoming in the increased minutes that Johnson’s departure provides.

The Pick

Both teams spent a lot of emotion on Saturday and will be playing on fumes on Monday night. While Duke has spent more time getting the ball inside, the Blue Devils still lean heavily on their three-point attack. In fact, Williams’ development has helped create more space for the outside shooters, who have hit 50-of-113, .443, from three in the last five games.

Tired legs and the Syracuse zone could tempt the Blue Devils into putting up quick threes instead of doing the work to run their offense. Duke has also struggled defending the three—four of the last six opponents have shot over 45 percent from outside against the Blue Devils, and Syracuse has hit 24-of-52, .462, from three in the last three games.

The Blue Devils are due for a letdown, and the timing of this game makes it a dangerous one for them. Duke may still pull out a win, but it won’t cover the relatively large spread.

NCAAB pick: Syracuse +5 (-110) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)

Syracuse +5 (-110)

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*The pick reflects the line at the moment the writer made the play, the odds at the beginning of this article show the live line movement. Since the lines might vary, don’t forget to refer back to our live odds.

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