Best Duke vs. Virginia Tech Betting Picks for Monday, Jan. 29 (Blue Devils With Several Key Advantages)

The No. 12 Duke Blue Devils go on the road to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies Monday night at Cassell Coliseum. Duke has a 15-4 record while the Hokies are 13-7, though the Blue Devils have failed to cover the spread in four straight contests as big favorites while Virginia Tech has covered in three straight.

This is a big matchup for the ACC standings and a nice test for a Duke squad with national championship aspirations.

These teams split their regular season meetings last year, but can the Blue Devils earn a massive road win? Let's check out the odds and break down the matchup from a betting perspective.

Duke vs. Virginia Tech Odds, Spread & Total

Duke vs. Virginia Tech Prediction & Betting Pick

The Blue Devils sit as three-point favorites after squeaking out a one-point win against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday, but they've got several key advantages in this matchup that give me confidence in Duke on the road.

While Duke is not an overpowering defensive team, they're flat-out dangerous offensively, ranking 27th nationally in effective field goal percentage (54.9%) with the sixth-lowest turnover rate in the country (13.3%).

Compare that to a Hokies squad that ranks 213th in turnover rate (18%) and struggles to defend the perimeter, allowing opponents to shoot just under 33% from beyond the arc (98th nationally).

Even if Duke has a poor shooting night, the Blue Devils should generate extra chances due to Virginia Tech's turnover problem and poor rebounding stats. The Hokies are 261st in offensive rebounding percentage (26.7%) while Duke is 21st in defensive rebounding rate, allowing offensive boards on less than quarter of available rebounds.

Given the Blue Devils' advantages both offensively and on the interior, I trust Duke to earn a critical road win and cover the spread for the first time in five games.

Pick: Duke -3 (-112)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.