Spread: fsu by 1.

Update: florida state lost by 18 at nc state on Tuesday while the Hokies will look to snap their 9-game losing streak (all ACC games) on Sunday.

Spread: duke by 13.

The Hokies should be well rested for their two home games this week, having played just once in nine days. Obviously the Hokies have a tough road to hoe on Thursday night, though, taking on the duke blue devils. duke is currently #1 in the RPI and are #6 in the polls since their loss at maryland on Saturday (so you know Coach K will have them focused on this game). But duke is, in my opinion, not the first or second most talented team in the nation by a long stretch. They aren’t the most talented duke team of recent years, either. And this game is in the Cassell, where Tech took down the dukies in 2005 and again in 2011. duke will be without Ryan Kelly, a good inside-out threat. So it is possible (and Curry has struggled in the home where his dad’s jersey hangs).

The Hokies can beat florida state. No, I’m not guaranteeing a victory, but this is the worst fsu team in about five years. They are tall, as always, with three 7-footers on their roster, but they are SOFT. I said it — pillow soft. They are last in the ACC in rebounding margin at -7.5. So their bigs are not a force. But if the game is close at the end, look out for Michael Snaer. He’s hit 5 game-winning shots in the final 5 seconds, including 3 at the buzzer, in the last 13 months. And we all remember the 3 he hit last year in Tallahassee that sunk the Hokies (VT still has never won there).

VT has to travel to duke in a few weeks but this will be the only regular season meeting between VT and fsu.

Hopefully Thursday will be a great atmosphere instead of the typical 6,000 fans of late, and Sunday will probably have plenty of good seats available, but I’m predicting (not guaranteeing) a VicTory.