Duke (22-3) at NC State (16-9)
When: Wednesday, February 19th, 2020
Where: PNC Arena,
Raleigh, NC
Time: 9:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Duke -8/150
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With just six games remaining in the regular season, the struggling North Carolina State Wolfpack basketball team needs a few quality wins and they will get plenty of chances from here on out starting Wednesday night. The Wolfpack will host the sixth-ranked Duke Blue Devils in Raleigh tonight and in 13 days along with a date against the eighth-ranked Florida State Seminoles, so the chances are there. NC State, who has lost four of their last six, is currently one of the ‘Next Four Out’ according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, who is pretty good as his projections. Duke comes in red-hot with wins in seven straight games after a 94-60 blowout victory over Notre Dame on Saturday. The Blue Devils shot a sizzling 56.5 percent from the floor and were led by Tre Jones’ 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Duke snapped a two-game skid in the series with a 94-78 win over the Wolfpack last February, but NC State has covered each of the last five meetings.
Jones also had six assists on Saturday and leads the ACC in that category at 6.6 while averaging 20 points over the last three games. Jones is second on the team in scoring (15.8) behind freshman center Vernon Carey Jr., who averages 17.6 points and 8.7 rebounds, while shooting 59.1 percent from the field. Fellow freshman Cassius Stanley (12.3 points) is expected to return to the lineup on Wednesday after missing the Notre Dame game due to getting poked in the eye during warmups. Yet another freshman is averaging double-digits for the Blue Devils in forward Matthew Hurt (10.6 points), who is also draining 40.9 percent from 3-point territory. Duke will host Virginia Tech on Saturday.
NC State won back-to-back road games before coming up short on Saturday at Boston College 71-68. The Wolfpack have been giving up too many points this season (69.2) and have surrendered 71 or more in five straight contests. Not good when your facing a Duke team that is No. 3 in the country at 83.0 per contest. Senior guard C.J. Bryce leads the team in scoring (14.0) and rebounding (6.1) despite going scoreless twice at the end of January. Senior point guard Markell Johnson is second in the conference in assists per game (6.5), but has just 12 points total in his last two games. Forward DJ Funderburk (12.2 points) is second in the ACC in field-goal percentage at 60.7. The Wolfpack will host Florida State on Saturday.
Duke is the much better team obviously, but NC State gives them some trouble, covering the spread in each of the last five. The Wolfpack knows they need to win one of these games against Duke and this will be their best chance.
Pick: NC State +7.5
Blue Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Blue Devils are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Blue Devils are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Blue Devils are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
Blue Devils are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Blue Devils are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road favorite.
Blue Devils are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Blue Devils are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.
Blue Devils are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
Blue Devils are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Wednesday games.
Wolfpack are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Wednesday games.
Wolfpack are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a home underdog.
Wolfpack are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Wolfpack are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Wolfpack are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 11-1 in Blue Devils last 12 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
Under is 8-1 in Blue Devils last 9 Wednesday games.
Over is 5-1 in Blue Devils last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 21-5-1 in Blue Devils last 27 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 8-2 in Blue Devils last 10 overall.
Over is 8-2 in Blue Devils last 10 games as a favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Blue Devils last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 6-2 in Blue Devils last 8 games following a straight up win.
Under is 15-7-2 in Blue Devils last 24 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Under is 4-0 in Wolfpack last 4 games as a home underdog.
Under is 10-1 in Wolfpack last 11 games following a straight up loss.
Under is 8-1 in Wolfpack last 9 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 7-1 in Wolfpack last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 11-2 in Wolfpack last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 5-1 in Wolfpack last 6 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 9-2 in Wolfpack last 11 overall.
Over is 22-5-1 in Wolfpack last 28 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 8-2 in Wolfpack last 10 games as an underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Wolfpack last 5 Wednesday games.
Under is 4-1 in Wolfpack last 5 home games following three or more consecutive road games.
Under is 20-8 in Wolfpack last 28 home games.
Underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
