Duke basketball: 3 takeaways from disappointing ACC Championship loss

Duke basketball takeaways in loss to Virginia Tech: 

Free Throw Shooting

Duke was thoroughly outplayed on Saturday night, but the Blue Devils had a chance to get back into the game at the free throw line and could not capitalize.

After the media timeout with 3:59 left in the second half, Duke went 2-for-6 from the free throw line.

Paolo Banchero split a pair from the charity stripe when play resumed as Duke trailed by ten, 72-62. And after the Blue Devils got a surprising stop while trailing by nine, 72-63, Jeremy Roach missed two free throws.

Duke could have been back within six with 3:16 to play. Instead, the Blue Devils were still down nine, and that was it.

Free throw shooting is vitally important in March, and the Blue Devils saw their chances at an ACC Tournament slip away, in part, due to issues at the stripe.

Duke will find out its NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. on CBS.