Tag Archives: Duke Blue Devils

Big 10 vs ACC Challenge: Wednesday NCAA Basketball Picks

Posted on by

I was 3-1-1 yesterday, and I’ll take that with a smile, especially because the team that handed me my lone loss just happened to be the only team I really care about in Sports. That’s right, I trotted through the first 5 games of the ACC-Big 10 Challenge and I won 3, pushed won, and lost the only game I was hoping to lose. (Maryland won and covered against the Hoosiers, Northwestern easily defeated that underdog spread by winning outright over the Wolf Pack, Virginia Tech covered easily – the Tar Heels slapped the Spartans around early and held them off late, while Wake Forrest let a first half lead get away from them as the Boilermakers fought back for a push). That was my Tuesday Night in the college hoops’ ranks.

no banners

Illinois Fighting Illini @ Clemson Tigers (-4): Everybody likes the Tigers here, but since I can’t blame them, I’m going to go ahead and join them. The Illini have something, some bigs that can rebound and fight, but I still think Clemson has the fire to take Illinois down, plus this is the challenge, the ACC always wins the challenge.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (+2) @ Miami Hurricanes: It looks like, if you can out-rebound the Gophers, then you’ll have a pretty good chance of handing them an L. But I don’t think the ‘Canes can out-board Minnesota, so I have to take the small road dogs here.

Boston College Eagles @ Michigan Wolverines (-5.5): The Wolverines have struggled early, but I like them here. They are too athletic and will be looking to win for the first time in 3 games – I think they are certainly due, and I don’t see BC doing enough defensively to stop Michigan.

Duke Blue Devils (-3.5) @ Wisconsin Badgers: You always take Duke early. You always take Duke when they are the better team. You always take Duke in the challenge. This Blue Devil team may not be the in your face get right by you team they’ve often been, but they have some bigs that have a high effort gas pedal all the way down to the floor.

Florida State Seminoles (+7) @ Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes have only lost to one team, the Tar Heels. FSU has a loss to Florida, a Gator team that has surprised some folks. Both have a good win or two, and both can hit you with quick guards and give a little power down low – but I think FSU’s rebounding is worth a bet here as a 7 point dog. I’ll go that way.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket vs Duke Blue Devils Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (-10) @ Duke Blue Devils Pick: Listen Duke has played admirably so far this season, and Georgia Tech has stumbled (not lost, but had trouble with) against teams that can put the ball in the air with success (see Miami, Wake Forrest, Florida State, and Miami). But can your really put Duke in that category of teams? I can’t.

I know the Blue Devils are one of the top teams in the ACC (record-wise), but who have they beaten? Army in Week 2, North Carolina Central, NC State, Maryland, and Virginia. None of those teams are holding little yellow jacket jock straps.

The Jackets have won 7 straight games, covering the spread in 6 of the last 7. Aside from the Miami game, they’ve outrushed every single opponent they’ve played. Duke has lost the rushing attack battle in 9 of their last 10 games – including giving up nearly 200 yards rushing to Carolina, a team Georgia Tech out-rushed by 300 yards.

Against common opponents (though means little, but in this case it helps my argument so I’m going to share it as the grain of salt it is) Tech has looked like the much better team. GT beat Virginia 34-9 in a game that was never close, Duke battle the Cavaliers and won by 11. GT beat North Carolina 24-7, Duke lost to their Tar Heeled rivals 19-6. GT beat Virginia Tech, Duke lost by 12.

The only red flag is that the Yellow Jackets haven’t played awesome defensively against solid ACC passers. I just can’t see that one aspect adding up to a cover here. I’ll take Georgia Tech.

Maryland Terrapins vs Duke Blue Devils NCAA Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Maryland Terrapins @ Duke Blue Devils (-4.5): I know Duke is Duke, and that this isn’t college hoops or Lacrosse, but they’ve impressed me so far this season. Playing tough against Virginia Tech, then beating up on NC State, you have to like that sequence moving forward. They easily could have ran with that close Va Tech game, and just came out sluggish against the Wolfpack, but no, they came out drilling NC State from the get go. At 3-3, they are much improved from the terrible Duke days. Thaddeus Lewis is a game breaking QB, and they do other things well to. Duke hasn’t beaten Maryland since 1999, but this is as good a year as any. You never know what you’re going to get with Maryland, a beat down by Rutgers, a loss to Middle Tennessee, an overtime win over James Madison, or an upset over Clemson – who will you get? I’m expecting Duke to draw that pathetic team with all those losses, lets hope it’s not the Maryland team that downed Clemson. I never though I’d see myself taking Duke as a favorite, lets hope that doesn’t backfire.

Week 4 College Football Picks Review: 2007

Posted on by

Can I post yet another winning handful of picks in Week 4? Another week, another winner. Sure, I was only 3-2, but 60% isn’t bad, now is it? Yes, that’s a winning number, and if you put up the cash, you might just find that 60% makes you money. This is the path on took to 3 wins and two losses.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Florida Gators (-23) @ Mississippi Rebels: (loss)
Florida barely pulled this one out, and a 23 point cover was completely out of the question by the time this one got through the first few minutes. Overall, Ole Miss played well, but even in their bad days, the Gators look unbeatable. I get a loss.

Duke Blue Devils @ Navy Midshipmen (-12): (loss)
Duke covered again, making me rethink my use of my old gimmie pick. Duke always use to be a crappy loser that I could rely on to give me a much needed win. Not this week, that’s for sure.

Kentucky Wildcats (+7) @ Arkansas Razorbacks: (win)
“The truth of the matter is, I think Andre’ Woodson is special, like Darren McFadden special, except the difference here is, Woodson is a quarterback, and in College Football, I’ll take a talented team with a special QB over a talented squad with a top notch RB. I think Kentucky has more balance, and therefore will win this game. You’ve got to like the points, too.” (me) Arkansas looked good, but in the end, their run-heavy attack just wasn’t enough. When Dick needed to come out and get his offense going, the Razorbacks struggled. On the other hand, when the Wildcats needed a big play, Woodson did his damage.

Michigan State Spartans (-12) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish: (win)
This one didn’t start off good for me, and I was thinking, DAMN! But then the real Fighting Irish stood right up and the Michigan State Spartans of all teams just straight took it to the Irish. Notre Dame is bad, folks, and I don’t know if its getting much better any time soon.

Arizona Wildcats @ California Golden Bears (-16): (win)
Once again, the Bears just barely pulled out a cover in this one. I’m tired of watching Cal come out and stomp teams and think, “Ha, I’ve got this one in the bag,” before allowing lesser teams right back in the game to where I think “Ha, freaking Cal, at it again,” and then either barely covering to give me some heart relief, or just blowing the spread all together and making me want to write bad things about them all week long.

Free College Football Picks Week 4 – 2007

Posted on by

Can I post yet another winning handful of picks in Week 4? Ah, that is the question. I will go in with these 5 squads, and go headfirst, with the confidence paralleling the brave 300. Hopefully I don’t hit the skids in the end like those guys in the movie – on the other hand, if I can get some abs like that, I’ll give up the last few years of my life and spend the next 20 years lifting up my shirt instead of using dumb pickup lines. Either way, here’s my Free Picks for Week 4.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Florida Gators (-23) @ Mississippi Rebels: 9/22/07 12:30pm EST
I’d be hard pressed to find a team in the Nation as good as the Gators. Florida can do it defensively and with the ball, making opposing teams look foolish every time out. The Rebels are solid, but they don’t have the players to match up with the Gators. I understand that this is a tough game for Florida, as they just knocked of Tennessee last week, but I have a feeling that Tim Tebow leads too much by example for the Gators to struggle in this one. That kid loves to compete, and beat the piss out of you he will.

Duke Blue Devils @ Navy Midshipmen (-12): 9/22/07 1:00pm EST
Duke ended their 22 game losing streak last week. It made me sad. What better way to celebrate one of the Nation’s longest losing streaks than by losing to a military team? That’s what I’m saying. I’m also saying that Navy isn’t as bad as a 1-2 record would insist. They’ve played solid football this season, and I expect them to route the Blue Devils in this one.

Kentucky Wildcats (+7) @ Arkansas Razorbacks: 9/22/07 6:00pm EST
Believe it or not, Kentucky has won 2 of the last 3 games between these two clubs. Last time these teams played, in 2003, the Razorbacks won 71-63. To be honest, I really think the world of both these clubs, and both will get their character tested because each squad played a huge game last week. Kentucky beat Louisville and Arkansas lost to Alabama by a field goal. The truth of the matter is, I think Andre’ Woodson is special, like Darren McFadden special, except the difference here is, Woodson is a quarterback, and in College Football, I’ll take a talented team with a special QB over a talented squad with a top notch RB. I think Kentucky has more balance, and therefore will win this game. You’ve got to like the points, too.

Michigan State Spartans (+12) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 9/22/07 3:30pm EST
I don’t like either of these teams, but what has Notre Dame showed to be anything more than a 25 point dog? Sure, they are Notre Dame, but this week they lost their opening day starting quarterback to a transfer. How did he break the news to Charlie Weis and the staff? He didn’t make the bus trip to Michigan. C’mon. The Irish are falling hard, to the point where a couple wins seems unlikely. Anyone… Is Temple or Duke scheduled? I didn’t like the Spartans to start the season, but the new coaching staff has proven to be impressive, so I’ll easily take them here.

Arizona Wildcats @ California Golden Bears (-16): 9/22/07 6:00pm EST
I am one of the guys that believes the Bears are WAY better than they’ve been playing. However, that shouldn’t matter too much this week, as even at their steady pace, they are 3 scores better than the Wildcats. I understand that Arizona has been known to surprise from time to time, but a 1-2 Wildcat team that lost to BYU by 13 and New Mexico, shouldn’t come even close the Bears. This could be the breakout game the Bears offense has been waiting for.