Virginia Tech AT Wake Forest
Feb 22, 2011 at 7 PM EST
Opening Line: Virginia Tech -13.5
Current Line: Virginia Tech -14
Opening Total: 143.5
Current Total: 144
Moneyline: Va Tech -1400 / Wake +1000
Maybe returning to Joel Coliseum will help the Demon Deacons turn things around. Wake Forest has lost their last six games and their last win was a home game over Virginia. Wake Forest is coming off an 18 point bashing inflicted by FSU last Saturday.
When Virginia Tech and Wake last met, on the 15th of January, Virginia Tech disposed of Wake in decisive fashion, winning the game 94 to 65. So the opening line of 13.5 doesn’t seem as outlandish as it might in another season’s meeting. Wake Forest is just not up to snuff this year and all programs have down years.
Wake Forest does in fact have a negative point differential of -8.7. They score well enough, at 68.6 points per game, but their defense is not good enough, as they give up 77.2 points per game. Virginia Tech, as you would expect given their 17-8 record, has a +9.5 differential, scoring a respectable 72.0 a game and giving up a stingy 62.5. The combinative total of the teams’ offensive output is 140.6, slightly under tonight’s total.
Some betting trends:
Virginia Tech is 2-4 SU in their last 6 road games and the total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Tech’s last 6 road games.
Wake Forest is 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games, and they are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games. The total has gone OVER in 5 of Wake Forest’s last 7 games and Wake is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games at home. Wake Forest is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games at home. Wake Forest is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 against Virginia Tech. Wake Forest is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games against Virginia Tech and the total has gone OVER in 5 of Wake Forest’s last 5 games against Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech is led by the quarteet of Malcolm Delaney, Jeff Allen, Erick Green, and Dorenzo Hudson. They have a strong six man rotation in which all six players play over 28 minutes a game, and 5 of the 6 play over 30 minutes a night. Delaney, a 6’3″ senior point guard, averages 19.2 points per game, 4.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and shoots 41.8% from three. He’s scored in double figures in every Hokies’ game except for two (Wake Forest & Purdue). He’s had seven games with 20 points or more and has a season high of 30, which he scored in a 12 point loss to UNLV. Jeff Allen is a strong presence inside despite being only 6’7″. He averages 13.7 points per game and leads the team in rebounding with 10.4 boards a game. He has recorded 7 straight double doubles and also averages over 1 stl + 1 blk, showing his defensive prowess. He’ll be checked by McKie and Ari Stewart, who both are going to have a difficult time boxing out and keeping him off the glass.
Wake Forest has a very balanced attack with five players averaging double figures (Travis McKie, Ari Stewart, J.T. Terrell, Gary Clark, and C.J. Harris). McKie, a 6’7″ freshman promises to have a bright future, as he is the leading scorer at 12.6points per game. He is also grabbing a lot of boards and leads the Demon Deacons in rebounding with 7.5 rebounds a game. Their other young gun Ari Stewart a 6’7″ sophomore forward is second on the team in scoring, was slightly behind McKie with 13.2 points per contest, but his playing time and scoring average have both dipped recently and he is now only averaging 9.8 a game,but he is second on the team in rebounding,at 7.3 per game. Wake Forest as a team is shooting an outstanding 37.5% from behind the arc, with Gary Clark’s 58.2% leading the way (46 of 79). Virginia Tech will need to get out on their shooters, because if Wake gets cooking from down town then the Hokies are in for a long night.
