Mike Krzyzewski has openly questioned why the college basketball season started amid the COVID pandemic. Maybe he knows something the rest of us don’t. Or quite possibly he realizes his Duke Blue Devils need some seasoning. It’s been an uncharacteristic slow start for Duke alternating wins and losses over their first five games to go 3-2. The Blue Devils look for their first winning streak of the season when they visit the No. 18 Florida State Seminoles in an ACC tilt on Saturday. The Dookies look to extend their winning streak in the series to six when the teams hook up for the only scheduled time on Saturday.
The game will air live on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 2, 2021 from Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Fla. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
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Duke Blue Devils (Check Back Later)
Florida State Seminoles (Check Back Later)
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Odds Analysis
It’s been a strange year, which has apparently carried over to the Duke program. They’ve already had a number of games impacted by COVID with their scheduled ACC home opener against Pitt put on the shelf for now. That means this contest will be Duke’s first since winning at Notre Dame, 75-65, on Dec. 16. The Dookies covered the 2-point line in that one for their first payout of the young season. They are 3-2 SU and 1-4 ATS while cashing the UNDER three times with a push on the total in their five tilts. Duke has won five in a row in the series going just 1-4 ATS in those games. Florida State opened the campaign with four straight wins going 3-1 ATS. The perfect season ended with an outright loss to UCF as a 15-point favorite. The Noles responded with a 72-59 win over Gardner-Webb, though they failed to cover the 22-point line. They are 5-2 SU and 3-4 ATS following a 10-point setback at Clemson.
Duke Blue Devils
Getting his diaper dandies to compete at the major college level during a pandemic might be the toughest thing Coach K has had to do. The results so far are mixed, though it’s highly likely the team is better in the middle of the season than it is at the beginning. The talented crop of freshmen won its first road game taking out Notre Dame 75-65.
They beat the Irish without Jalen Johnson, who is sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury. And it is a big loss since the 6-foot-9 forward is the team’s top recruit and best NBA prospect. Johnson started his collegiate career with a 19-point, 19-rebound effort in a win over Coppin State. He tallied 11 points in a loss to Michigan State.
The other first-year players on the roster stood out against Notre Dame. DJ Steward had 16 points and seven rebounds while Jeremy Roach (12) and Jaemyn Brakefield (10) also reached double figures. Those youngsters will have to keep up with the hot hand in order for the Blue Devils to enjoy any success this season.
Florida State Seminoles
It’s hard to imagine how good the Seminoles could be since Leonard Hamilton says his club is still developing. Two players from last season’s 26-5 squad were NBA lottery picks and a third joined the Association as an undrafted free agent. That left some holes to be filled by veterans with several newcomers playing a pivotal part. “It takes a while to adjust when roles are being changed. You have four guys stepping into new roles. It’s a transition period,” Hamilton said.
Things went smoothly early on with the Noles winning their first four games with three of them by double figures before stumbling to an 86-74 loss to UCF. The Noles were positioned as a 15-point favorite in the game and suffered a rare home setback. They rebounded with a 72-59 win over Gardner-Webb behind a career-best 15 points from Anthony Polite, who reached double figures for the fourth straight game.
M.J. Walker can score and 7-foot-1 Balsa Koprivica is a matchup problem. But the X-factor is Scottie Barnes, a talented but inconsistent performer so far. Barnes hit the game-winner in overtime against Indiana and has had several highlight reel plays. He will be motivated against Duke’s crop of youngsters.
Duke vs. Florida State Prediction
With Coach K scrapping the remaining non-conference games and the matchup with Pitt postponed, the Dookies are nearly three weeks removed from their last competition. A break like that in the middle of a season will certainly affect the young roster. And despite the losses to the NBA, the Noles have restocked the roster with more depth. A better start would certainly help their chances, though FSU at home is a good bet.
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