Virginia Tech Basketball: 3 keys to upsetting the Duke Blue Devils

Virginia Tech basketball will face the Duke Blue Devils on Friday in the NCAA Tournament. A victory would be huge for them as we look at three keys.

The Virginia Tech Hokies and Duke Blue Devils will face off in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night in what should be a back and forth affair. The Hokies defeated Duke in Blacksburg back in late February of this season without Zion, so they’re out for a bit of revenge. Virginia Tech won 77-72 against Duke back on Feb. 26 without a key contributor of their own. With both back in the rotation for their respective teams, expect for a fun battle on both ends.

For just the second time in school history, the Hokies are making an appearance in the Sweet 16. The irony here is that they face a familiar ACC opponent in the Blue Devils. Though they’ve won just seven meetings all-time against Duke, three of their four wins have come across the past three seasons.

The Hokies boast one of the best scoring defenses in college basketball as well as one of the more efficient 3-point shooting teams. They’re shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament while allowing 55.0 points per game on defense. It’s been a lethal combination so far and they’ll need a whole lot more of it against Duke.

One thing Virginia Tech has on its side is the experience of three seniors in Justin Robinson, Ty Outlaw, and Ahmed Hill. Each brings a different piece to the puzzle as they look to upset Duke. Here’s a look at three keys to victory for the Hokies against the Blue Devils in the Sweet 16.