The Duke Blue Devils won the regular season ACC title in Mike Krzyzewski’s final season calling the shots in Durham by way of going 16-4 in ACC play. Quite naturally, online sportsbooks have the Dookies favored to win the ACC tournament for the third time in the last six seasons. But are the Blue Devils deserved of being the runaway chalk? Oddsmakers certainly look to believe so with the North Carolina Tar Heels clocking in right behind them with a +800 return. Quite the disparity if you ask me! While it would make for the storybook ending in the final season of Coach K, his team is beatable. One only has to look at the most recent matchup with UNC as evidence. Regardless, here is my favorite, and a pair of underdog recommendations to make some noise in the Big Apple over the next week. Don’t waste your time backing any longshots; it ain’t happening!
The ACC Tournament will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY beginning Tuesday, March 8, 2022. BookMaker.eu will have NCAA basketball odds available for every game until the nets are cut down.
ACC Tournament Odds at BookMaker.eu
Duke -130
North Carolina +800
Wake Forest/Virginia Tech/Notre Dame +1000
Miami +1100
Virginia +1800
Syracuse +5000
Florida State +6000
Clemson +8000
NC State +10000
Louisville +12000
Georgia Tech +15000
Pittsburgh +20000
Boston College +25000
Favorite to Bet: Duke Blue Devils -130
The Blue Devils have one heck of a threesome in Paulo Banchero (17.1 PPG), Wendell Moore Jr. (41% 3-point shooting), and Mark Williams (7.1 RPG, 2.6 BPG). The trio helped lead the team to the regular season title, and is the main reason why they own the fifth shortest odds to win the NCAA Tournament heading into conference tourney time. Ranked No. 6 overall per the most up to date Pomeroy Ratings, the Blue Devils possess the offensive prowess to cruise to the ACC title. That being said, I have my concerns at the other end of the court where the defense is by no means as good as its No. 27 efficiency metrics suggest. It doesn’t force any turnovers (No. 292), and has shown a knack for being charitable around the perimeter in spots. Five of its last six games cashed over tickets with the opposition averaging over 71 points per game. The defense must turn it up a notch if it’s to live up to being the chalk of this tournament.
Underdog to Bet: Wake Forest Demon Deacons +1000
The Deacs came from out of nowhere to finish fifth in the final ACC standings with 23-8 SU and 19-12 ATS records. It went 13-7 SU in conference play and logged wins against Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Virginia. Though it got swept by the Dookies, Wake was competitive in both defeats dropping each by an average of 5 points per game and came a 3-ball away from covering both times. Steve Forbes’ kids can flat-out fill the hoop with basketballs evidenced by the offense averaging nearly 80 points per game (No. 18) and shooting nearly 49 percent from the field (No. 11). Alondes Williams is a dominant scorer (19.3 PPG) that dishes off over 5.0 assists per game, while Jake LaRavia is one of the more dominant big men in the country in averaging 14.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Not many teams rank out better scoring points close to the rim (No. 3). The lone bugaboo comes with the defense that’s above average at best. Even so, Wake Forest is well-worth a dart throw on the ACC tourney futures odds with its ability to dent the scoreboard since the conference doesn’t have any defensive difference makers.
Underdog to Bet: Miami Hurricanes +1100
The Hurricanes were my ride or die in the ACC all season long. They treated me tremendously in going 22-9 SU overall as well as 14-6 SU in ACC play. Most importantly, they went a moneymaking 17-13-1 versus the closing college basketball odds. Like every good team the ACC has to offer, The U has some special players that could really turn this tournament on its head if given the chance. Kameron McGusty is a stat sheet stuffer that averages better than 17.0 points and shoots better than 47 percent from the field. Isaiah Wong (15.5 PPG) is readily able to go off at the drop of a hat, while Charlie Moore (12.5 PPG) is the glue that holds the Canes’ guard attack together. Though Miami’s defense stinks out loud with it conceding over 70 points per game (No. 229) while ranking poorly in efficiency (No. 149) and defending the 3-ball (No. 266), the team has moxie that never finds it too far out of a game. A likely quarterfinal matchup with Wake Forest has me taking shots on both teams with each having it in them to send the Dookies home early.
Longshot to Bet: NONE
The only team in the longshot range I’d give any sort of attention to is the Syracuse Orange. They’ve got the long range shooters to go on a major run in Buddy Boeheim and Joseph Girard III, but the team is simply devoid of any big man talent. The injury to Jesse Edwards really took the wind out of the team’s sails, and they’ve been trying to make up for his 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game ever since. His defensive presence has been missed most of all. The opposition has eaten the Orange alive in the paint ever since, and I don’t foresee that trend stopping anytime soon.
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