Tuesday NCAA: Florida State (22-7) at Duke (24-5) :WagerWeb Entertainment

Tuesday NCAA: Florida State (22-7) at Duke (24-5)

3 March 2009 215 views No Comment

Tonight’s ACC game between Florida State and Duke is very important for both teams but for different reasons.

FSU, a 12-point underdog on WagerWeb.com, is probably an NCAA Tournament team regardless of this result, but the Noles can lock down a bid for sure with the upset. The Seminoles currently have nine ACC wins and are guaranteed of no worse than 9-7 in conference, but they were denied an NCAA bid in 2006 despite having nine ACC wins. Last year, Virginia Tech was left out after going 9-7 in the league as well. The Hokies and Noles close the season this weekend.

“It’d be a good opportunity if we go up there and get this win and just put ourselves in a good position [to be highly seeded],” said FSU junior forward Ryan Reid, whose late layup was the difference in FSU’s last visit to Durham, a win in 2007.

The Seminoles have won six of their last eight games and reached 22 wins prior to postseason play for the first time since the 1992-93 season. Additionally, the Seminoles’ 10 wins away from home this season (seven in true road games and three in neutral site games) are the most on the road since they won 12 games away from Tallahassee during the 1992-93 season. They could finish second in the ACC if they win out.

Noles senior guard Toney Douglas is the second leading scorer in the ACC overall in points per game average (a career-high 20.6 point per game) and is the leading scorer in ACC games (22.9 points per game). He has scored at least 20 points in 11 of 14 ACC games.

The Seminoles won consecutive games against the Blue Devils on March 1, 2006 and Feb. 4, 2007 before losing the only game between the two teams last season on Jan. 16, 2008 and the first meeting between the two earlier this season 66-58 on Jan. 10 in Tallahassee. The Blue Devils ran off the first nine points of the second half during a 41-11 run to build their largest lead of the game, 46-21 with 12:45 left.

The Dukies, meanwhile, are looking to keep pace with first-place North Carolina in the ACC and a win tonight could make Sunday’s regular-season finale with the Heels for the regular-season conference title.

The Blue Devils are 15-1 at home this season, with Gerald Henderson is averaging 21.4 points on 58.4 percent shooting in his last six at Cameron. And they have taken off since Jon Scheyer moved from shooting guard to point guard; he is averaging 19 points in the past four games, all wins.

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Seminoles are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 road games.
* Seminoles are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Seminoles are 13-4-1 ATS in their last 18 games as an underdog.
* Seminoles are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Seminoles are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Seminoles are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Seminoles are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Seminoles are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games overall.
* Seminoles are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog.
* Seminoles are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games following a S.U. win.
* Seminoles are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5.
* Blue Devils are 6-0-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite of 7.0-12.5.
* Blue Devils are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Tuesday games.
* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
* Seminoles are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Duke.
* Under is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.
* Seminoles are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.