Elon Phoenix at Duke Blue Devils
Monday, 12/20/10, 7:00 PM EDT
Opening Point Spread: Duke -36
Current Betting Line: Duke -37
Opening Total: 156
Current Total: 156
Elon will be looking to defeat an ACC team for the first time since it went on the road to defeat Clemson, 74-69, on December 30, 2005. The Phoenix were held well below their 77.2 points per game scoring average in a 71-65 loss to Chattanooga last time out, while also getting out-rebounded 48-31 in the contest. Tonight will mark the first time the program has ever faced the number one team in the country or the defending national champions. The squad has lost 13 of the 18 all-time meetings against the Blue Devils. Elon is 3-3 ATS on the season and 3-3 ATS against ACC opponents over the last three seasons. Currently, the team sits as a huge double-digit underdog on the college basketball lines page.
The Phoenix are a very young squad in having just two seniors on their roster and all four scholarship freshman are averaging double-figure minutes. Elon is shooting a solid 44.3 percent from the floor, but has allowed opponents to shoot an incredible 46.5 percent from the field. This could prove to be a troublesome stat due to tonight’s opponent shooting at a 50.1 percent clip early in the season.
Duke enters this lopsided contest on paper with a perfect 10-0 record and will be looking to open a season 11-0 for the ninth time under coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils are coming off a victory against Saint Louis on December 11, but sophomore Andre Dawkins managed to score just two points in his second game filling in for injured point guard Kyrie Irving. “Certainly, with Kyrie going down, it changes our team,” said coach Chris Collins. “He was such a dynamic player when he had the ball.” No amount of injuries will affect the outcome of this contest due to the program winning 35 straight against South Conference opponents. Duke is 6-3 ATS on the season and 21-14 ATS at home the past three years.
The Blue Devils have won 20 consecutive games and will look to extend their winning streak to 83 games against non-conference opponents at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke has also won 47 straight home games against unranked opponents. Offensively, the team has used the 3-point area to establish its early season dominance, leading the ACC and ranking seventh in the country in shooting 43.6 percent. Duke has made more three-point field goals than its opponent in eight of 10 games and has made 45 more treys than its opposition on the year. The defense has cranked up its hold on foes over the past two games, giving up just 47.5 points per game and holding them to 35.4 percent shooting.
Bettors will be interested in knowing that the Phoenix are 6-0 ATS as an underdog of 13.0 or more points, while the Blue Devils are 8-2 ATS versus the Southern Conference.
Don’t miss out on the best picks anywhere from the college basketball handicappers at Maddux Sports. The group is off to a fantastic start and ready for a huge night!
