Virginia Tech Duke Basketball Rivalry Heats Up
Contents
- The history of the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
- Why the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry is so heated
- The top moments from the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
- The players to watch in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
- The coaches in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
- The fans in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
- The impact of the Virginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry
- The future of the Virginia Tech-Duke basketball rivalry
- 10 things you need to know about the Virginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry
- Why the Virginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry matters
As the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry heats up, we take a look at the history of the two teams and what makes this rivalry so special.
The history of the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
Virginia Tech and Duke have been basketball rivals for over two decades. The rivalry started when Duke joined the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 1979.
Virginia Tech has only beaten Duke eight times in the last twenty years, but every game is a battle. The fans are passionate and the atmosphere is electric.
The Virginia Tech Duke rivalry is one of the most intense in college basketball It’s a must-see event for any fan of the sport.
Why the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry is so heated
The Duke-Virginia Tech basketball rivalry is one of the most heated in all of college basketball The two programs have been going at it for years, and there is no love lost between the two fan bases.
The rivalry really took off in the early 2000s when Duke and Virginia Tech were two of the top teams in the country. The two teams would often meet in the ACC tournament and the games would always be intense.
Since then, the rivalry has only gotten more heated. The two fan bases can’t stand each other, and the games are always must-see TV.
If you’re a fan of College Basketball then you need to check out this rivalry. It’s one of the best in the sport.
The top moments from the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
There is no love lost between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Duke Blue Devils and that is especially true when it comes to their men’s basketball teams The two ACC schools have been battling on the hardwood for decades, and there have been some memorable moments in the series over the years.
Here are some of the top moments from the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry:
1. Duke’s Miracle Comeback in 1995: After trailing by double digits for most of the game, Duke staged an incredible comeback to stun Virginia Tech in 1995. The Blue Devils hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to force overtime, and then won the game in OT to move to 8-0 on the season.
2. Beamer’s Buzzer Beater in 1999: With Duke leading by one point and time winding down, Virginia Tech’s Corey Fuller caught a long pass from Dell Curry and hit a miraculous buzzer-beater to give the Hokies a 61-60 win. Mike Krzyzewski was so flabbergasted by the loss that he ripped off his jacket in frustration.
3. Duke Sweeps Virginia Tech in 2000: After losing to Virginia Tech earlier in the season, Duke exacted revenge with a pair of close wins over the Hokies. The Blue Devils won the first game 74-73 in Durham, and then followed that up with a 63-62 victory in Blacksburg thanks to another late buzzer-beater by Chris Duhon.
4. Reynolds’ Game Winner Sinks Duke in 2015: In what was one of their most competitive games in recent memory, Virginia Tech once again came out on top against Duke thanks to a clutch shot by Justin Robinson . Robinson drilled a jumper with 1.8 seconds left to give the Hokies a 71-70 win, sending Duke fans home unhappy yet again.
The players to watch in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
The Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry is one of the most heated in College Basketball The two teams have met nearly 50 times since 1922, and the series is currently tied 24-24.
Both teams are loaded with talent heading into the 18-19 season and there are a few players who will be key to their respective team’s success. For Virginia Tech freshman guard Landers Nolley II will be a key player. Nolley is a five-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 18 player in the nation by ESPN He’s a 6-foot-7 wing who can score from anywhere on the court. Nolley will be tasked with replacing last year’s leading scorer, Justin Robinson, who was lost to graduation.
For Duke, freshman forward R.J. Barrett will be a key player. Barrett is a five-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 1 player in the nation by ESPN. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing who can score from anywhere on the court and is an excellent rebounder. Barrett will be tasked with replacing last year’s leading scorer, Marvin Bagley III who was lost to graduation.
Both teams are expected to contend for the ACC title this season, and these two players will be key to their respective team’s success.
The coaches in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
The coaches in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry are no strangers to each other.
Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and Buzz Williams of Virginia Tech have faced each other 18 times since Williams became a Head Coach in 2006, with Krzyzewski holding a 12-6 lead.
The two coaches haveociable personalities and are friends off the court, but when it comes to coaching against each other, there is no love lost.
“I don’t like him, he doesn’t like me,” Krzyzewski said of Williams after their most recent meeting in 2018.
The feeling is mutual, as Williams had this to say about Krzyzewski after a loss to Duke in 2019: “He’s really good at what he does, and I’m not”.
With both coaches now in the ACC, the rivalry is only expected to heat up in the years to come.
The fans in the Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry
The Virginia Tech Duke Basketball rivalry is one of the most intense in college hoops. And it’s the fans that make it so special.
die-hard Duke fans and Virginia Tech fans are known for their passion and love for their team. But it’s the rivalry between the two fan bases that really makes this one of the most intense rivalries in college hoops.
There is a deep level of respect between the two fan bases, but also a healthy dose of hate. The rivalry has been heated up in recent years due to some on-court incidents between Duke and Virginia Tech players, and also because Duke has become one of the elite programs in college basketball while Virginia Tech has been on the rise.
No matter what the reason, theVirginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry is one of the most intense and exciting in all of college basketball And it’s the fans that make it so special.
The impact of the Virginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry
When it comes to college basketball there are few rivalries that compare to the one between Virginia Tech and Duke. For years, these two ACC powerhouses have battled it out on the hardwood, with each team eager to come out on top.
Now, with both teams vying for the conference title and a spot in the NCAA tournament the rivalry is heating up once again. And, as always, the fans are eagerly waiting to see which team will come out on top.
The future of the Virginia Tech-Duke basketball rivalry
Since Duke joined the ACC in 1953, Blue Devils and the Virginia Tech Hokies have only faced off 46 times in regular season play. But with Duke’s recent domination of the ACC, and Virginia Tech’s emergence as a Basketball Power the two schools are on a collision course to become one of college basketball’s best rivalries.
Duke has won 27 of the 46 games between the two teams, but Virginia Tech has won four of the last six meetings. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, while the Hokies are ranked No. 12. The two teams are scheduled to meet twice during the 2019-20 season with the first game taking place at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 8th.
The future of the rivalry will be shaped by a number of factors, including conference realignment and scheduling. But one thing is for sure: when Duke and Virginia Tech take the court against each other, it will be must-see TV for college basketball fans.
10 things you need to know about the Virginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry
In case you needed any more reason to get energized for this weekend’s big basketball game here are 10 things you need to know about the Virginia Tech-Duke rivalry:
1. It all started back in 1975.
2. The two teams have only met 18 times since then.
3. Duke has won 14 of those games.
4. Virginia Tech’s last win against Duke was in 2015.
5. That 2015 game was also Virginia Tech’s first win against Duke in Blacksburg.
6. Duke is currently ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
7. Virginia Tech is currently ranked No. 20 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
8. This will be the first time the two teams have played each other while both being ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll since 2011.
9. The game will be televised on ESPN at 8:00 p.m ET on Saturday, January 27th.
10. You can also listen to the game on the Virginia Tech Sports Network or SiriusXM channel 84/84
Why the Virginia Tech-Duke Basketball rivalry matters
When it comes to college basketball rivalries, few are as intense as the one between Virginia Tech and Duke. The two teams have been battling it out on the court for nearly a century, and the rivalry only seems to be getting more heated.
There are a number of reasons why the Virginia Tech-Duke rivalry matters so much. For one, these are two of the most successful programs in college basketball history. Between them, they have won a total of 12 NCAA National Championships They also boast some of the most loyal and passionate fan bases in all of College Basketball
Another reason why the Virginia Tech-Duke rivalry is so intense is because the two schools are located just 90 miles apart from each other. This proximity only serves to add to the intensity of the rivalry, as fans from both schools are constantly trying to one-up each other.
Finally, the Virginia Tech-Duke rivalry is significant because it represents one of the few remaining examples of true regional rivalries in College Basketball In an era where schools are increasingly joining forces with national powers in order to create so-called “super conferences,” the Virginia Tech-Duke rivalry represents a throwback to a simpler time when regional rivalries were everything.