Collegiate Times

Duke player, Lance Thomas, (42), charges Deron Washington ,(13), during the game at Duke last January where Virginia Tech won.

The Hokies will be without the services of Jeff Allen, who is second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.1rpg). The freshman forward was suspended for this evening's game against Duke and Saturday's contest at Boston College after he was ejected from last Saturday's game against Georgia Tech for bumping into an official on his way to the bench following his fifth foul.

"Definitely that's a blow to their team," said Duke assistant coach Chris Collins. "I think he's one of the best young big guys on the league. He's a load down in the paint, outstanding rebounder (and) can score in the block ... It'll affect what they do offensively, I think a little bit, down low."

Freshman forward J.T. Thompson is currently listed as Allen's replacement in the starting lineup, but Tech head coach Seth Greenberg has been known to stray from the lineup posted the day before the game. In fact, there could be a few players working in Allen's place.

"I think what we've done all season long is we've basically looked at matchups and then decided what we're going to do with our starting lineup," Greenberg said. "It'll be no different for Thursday night or Saturday afternoon ... We'll look and see at the lineup that'll give us our best chance to be successful."

The different-look Hokies will have to defend a Duke team that likes to play a small lineup highlighted by senior guard DeMarcus Nelson (14.3 ppg) and freshman forward Kyle Singler (13.1 ppg).

"I think DeMarcus has been an incredible leader for this team," Collins said. "I think he's probably one of the more underrated guys in our conference ... He's been very consistent. He's a steady force."

"He's really a heck of a basketball player," Collins said of Singler. "He's never going to be a guy that, I think, throws up 30 points or these monster stats ... He makes a lot of little plays. He plays both ends of the floor. He leaves everything on the court and gives you everything he's got."

With Duke's depth of talent and the Hokies playing shorthanded, Tech will likely need to see some young role players step up and play like seasoned veterans if it is to beat the Blue Devils for the second-straight season.

Tip-off from Cassell Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

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