ACC: No.3 Ranked Virginia Visits No.12 Notre Dame
The Atlantic Coast Conference college basketball schedule continues on Saturday with a showdown between the visiting Virginia Cavaliers and the host Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
No. 3 ranked Virginia is 14-0 SU and 8-4 ATS. On the road, the Cavaliers are 5-0 on the season.
No. 12 ranked Notre Dame is 15-1 SU and 5-3 ATS on the season. At home, the Fighting Irish are 13-1. Notre Dame has won 11 straight coming into this game.
The opening line had Virginia favored by 3 points, but that has been bet down to -1.5.
The third ranked Cavaliers have won 14 straight to start the season, which is the most since Ralph Sampson played in 1980-81 and the team started the season 23-0.
Notre Dame has enjoyed their best start since they were 24-1 in 1973-74.
The Irish have won 11 straight games after defeating North Carolina 71-70 Monday night to start their ACC schedule 3-0.
Pat Connaughton the talented Notre Dame forward said he and his teammates knew they could play well and believes the team will only get better.
Virginia defeated North Carolina State Wednesday night 61-51. It was the eleventh time in 14 games this season that the Cavaliers have held an opponent to less than 60 points.
Virginia is 2-0 in ACC play and allows just an average of 51 points per game, while averaging over 71 per game.
Justin Anderson one of the starting guards leads the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game. Malcolm Brogdon the other starting guard is averaging 13 points per game, while Anthony Gill a forward is scoring 12.6 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with 7.1 per game.
Virginia thrives on the boards, holding a 12.6 rebounds per game advantage over their 14 opponents.
For the Irish, Jerian Grant their point guard leads the team in scoring at 17.3 points per game and assists with 6.3 per game. Connaughton is averaging just less than 14 points per game and 8.3 rebounds. The two have been instrumental in Notre Dame’s rise this season.
Notre Dame has registered 80 points or more in 12 of its 16 games. The 71 scored against North Carolina was the low for the season by the Fighting Irish.
Last season Virginia defeated Notre Dame in both head-to-head games. The Cavaliers have won 7 straight against Notre Dame and lead the series overall 7-1.
Anderson has hit 56.7% of his shots from beyond the 3-point line this season for Virginia.
The Cavaliers are 5-0 SU in their past five games played on the road.
The Fighting Irish are 5-0 SU their past 5 games overall and their past 5 games played at home.
Pick: I like the Irish to cover and pull off the upset 71-69.
