Duke men's basketball is traveling down the road to face Wake Forest in its first true away game of the season, and the Blue Zone brings you our can't-miss prop bets:
Duke (-7.5) vs. Wake Forest
After a 10-day break during Duke’s exam period, the Blue Devils will look to pick up right where they left off. After winning each of its past three games against Boston College, Iowa and Maryland Eastern Shore by double digits, Duke has proven itself to be a top team in the nation. Wake Forest, on the other hand, is coming off of a 24-point loss to Rutgers, continuing its lackluster season. Based on these previous performances, the Blue Devils look posed for a big win, but this matchup might be closer than expected. This game will be the first true road contest for Duke this season and it faces a much more experienced Demon Deacon roster. Combined with the fact that Wake Forest is hungry to make its mark and has already shown it can beat a ranked opponent, upsetting now-No. 17 Wisconsin earlier this year, both teams have a chance to win. However, Duke’s raw talent will once again negate any worries about lack of experience and the Blue Devils will continue their streak of double-digit wins.
Pick: Duke (-7.5)
Over/Under 141.5 points
It may sound simple, but for this game to be high-scoring, Wake Forest and Duke must both take a lot of shots and make a lot of shots. Scoring opportunities will be easy to come by for both teams, as the Blue Devils and Demon Deacons are each turning the ball over more than 11 times per game. Wake Forest’s offensive production will need to come from its star guard, graduate transfer Tyree Appleby. Appleby’s been a bright light for a dull Demon Deacon offense, putting up an impressive 18 points per game on 44% shooting from behind the arc. Conversely, Duke has been strong at defending the three as its bigs have been able to play switch defense and successfully stop even the best shooters from deep. This game will be no different.
Pick: Under 141.5 points
Kyle Filipowski over/under 15.5 points
Filipowski has been electric offensively for Duke this year, whether he’s hitting threes or slamming dunks. His ability to consistently draw fouls furthers his scoring, as he’s added points from the charity stripe in every game since the Blue Devils’ season opener against Jacksonville. Wake Forest has the size to keep up with Filipowski defensively, but its talent is far outmatched by Duke’s breakout rookie. Further, the return of Jeremy Roach will only create more opportunities for Filipowski to score. Expect him to end another game well into double digits.
Pick: Over 15.5 points
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