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ncst @ duke
This game opened at 18 and has stuck there at most spots, but there are some 18.5s available. If you're playing this total be sure to really shop for your line, the opener was 144.5 but there are 142s and 143s still available. NCST comes in struggling ats at 4-11 while Duke has covered 5 straight.
NCST has is 2 and 4 on the road this year and a couple of those losses have been blow outs. The Wolfpack come into this game without any true strengths, as a team, on offense; there is nothing they do especially well. The team is led by all-American candidate JJ Hickson who came in as one of the most highly touted Freshman in the country. Hickson is a 6-9 forward the gets all of his work done on the inside and hits 63% from the floor. Gavin Grant is another big body that the Pack were hoping would have a huge year, but he hasn't shown up quite as big as the NCST faithful had hoped he would. Despite having these two athletic power figures in the lineup, this team is still horrendous on the boards. The one way you're going to have a chance to beat Duke is if you're able to take advantage of their soft interior play the way Pitt was able to. If you dont out rebound this version of the Blue Devils, you aren't like to win, or even keep the game too close.
The Blue Devils present matchup problems for everyone they face seeing as each of their starters can shoot from long range. Hickson and 6-10 Ben McCauley are likely to be exploited on the defensive end tonight as Duke spreads the floor.
"I think communication is going to be a big key in terms of the transition, transition defense because you have Singler who can trail the play and stop at the three and shoot it," NC State coach Sidney Lowe said. "You have Nelson who might be playing four who's trailing. He can stop at the three where a lot of times big guys they're accustomed to running to the paint first not realizing that the guys that they are guarding tomorrow can stop at the three. So communication and making sure that we get matched up is going to be big in our transition defense."
Simply put, tonight NCST should be over matched on both sides. Duke has forced 65 turnovers in their last three games while committing just 33. The Blue Devils are also holding their opposition, in conference to 26.6% from 3 point range. Once the Wolfpack lost their starting point guard, their team really seemed to lose hope and focus. Grant is now depended upon to do more, which has really taken him a bit out of his game. His numbers are still decent, but he is being asked to do things that he hasn't been accustom to doing.
Key stat: The Wolfpack have just one player that has more assists than turnovers on the season.
Tonight I expect Duke to blow out NCST and a lot of people to be saying 'omg ncst fucking sucks man, i cant believe i bet on this team'.
more chalk
duke -18
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Originally Posted by MoneySportsGuy
