Books Are Gifting Us Money With This Virginia Duke Total

Virginia vs. Duke, 12:00 ET

It has been a solid week of College Basketball with more wins than losses, but one loss (St. John's against UConn) certainly stands out as one of my all time worst picks. It happens, but I'd usually rather lose in a blowout than a hook or heartbreak. It just makes it easier to accept when you know you're not going to win the game anyway. We are back at it with another great matchup to kick off our Saturday College Basketball looks as Virginia takes on their ACC rival by playing Duke.

Virginia is not a team that you've probably heard a lot about this season. They don't have any dominant freshman that a lot of other squads have. They don't have a ton of big-name wins over powerhouse schools. However, they do have a very consistent team that is currently 25-3 for the season, and 13-2 in the ACC. Part of the reason you haven't heard much about them is that they've only beaten one ranked team. In fairness, they've only played two this season, with the win coming over Louisville and the loss coming against North Carolina. The other two losses that Virginia has taken were against Virginia Tech on the road and Butler on a neutral court. Virginia Tech isn't exactly a great school, and Virginia seemed to run out of gas in the game, losing by ten in triple overtime, which seems difficult to do. The big note about this Virginia team is that they are not the same slow, methodical team that you've seen a few years ago. This team scores and can do it in bunches. They are averaging 82.3 points per game this season and shooting 47% from the field. 

Jan 10, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory (2) drives to the basket past Stanford Cardinal guard Jeremy Dent-Smith (25) in the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Duke is a team you've heard a lot about, and rightfully so. They are currently ranked as the best team in the nation, mostly due to the fact that they beat Michigan last week. Before you think that emotional win will lead to a letdown, they've already played another game and rocked Notre Dame to the tune of a 44-point victory. It would be hard to find a more complete team than Duke. The Blue Devils do a bit of everything - they can score from the inside and outside, they play tough defense, they pass well, and they have a superstar who can be a go-to scorer in crunch time. Anyone who has ever played in any sort of formal basketball knows that you need someone who can get you a bucket when the other team is on a run or in late-game situations. Duke has it all. For the year, they are averaging 83 points per game, and they are shooting 50% from the field. In case you were curious, Duke is 26-2 and their losses came against Texas Tech on a neutral court, and a game they should've won with ease against North Carolina on the road. Their losses have been by a combined four points. 

The books are giving us a gift here. The total is way too low in this game. Virginia is not the same Cavaliers team from the past that wants to slow the game down and make you work for every shot. Don't get me wrong, they still have a reliable and solid defense. They will likely play a bit slower than normal. However, both of these teams should get into the 70s with their points. I could see one getting to 75 and the other getting to 65 or something, but that still puts us at 140. Give me the over 137.5 and take it to the bank. 

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