ACC Tournament Final Preview: Virginia vs North Carolina
The ACC tournament final will feature the No. 4 ranked Virginia Cavaliers against the No. 7 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Saturday night. The current line has North Carolina favored by 1 point.
On the season, Virginia had an overall record of 26-6 straight up and 17-13 against the spread. The Cavaliers are 8-2 SU and 9-1 ATS over their past 10 games played.
North Carolina on the season is 27-6 SU and 15-17 ATS. The Tar Heels are 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS over their past 10 games played.
North Carolina reached this ACC final by routing Notre Dame by 31 points in one semifinal on Friday. Marcus Paige scored 16 for the Tar Heels to give the team a chance to win its first ACC tournament since 2008 and a likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
However, Virginia has different thoughts. The Cavaliers beat Miami 73-68 in their semifinal matchup Friday. Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points bringing Virginia closer to its second title in the ACC tournament in the past three years and a potential No. 1 seeding.
Virginia is efficient at both ends of the court. The Cavaliers are No. 2 in the country in scoring defense allowing 59.6 points per game and lead the ACC and rank in the top 10 in the country in 3-point shooting and overall field goal percentage.
Virginia hit 52% of its shots versus Miami, which gave them over 50% shooting for the third straight game and fourth in its last seven games.
Paige has been struggling all season shooting for North Carolina but sank 4 of his 7 shots from beyond the 3-point arc and scored 8 points in a decisive 24-0 run by the Tar Heels against the Fighting Irish.
North Carolina has won four straight and six of its past seven. Brice Johnson leads the Tar Heels in both scoring at 16.7 points per game and rebounding at 10.6 per game.
Virginia is 4-2 over its past 6 games head to head with North Carolina.
The OVER has cashed in each of the past 5 games played between the two teams.
The favorite has covered the number in 5 of the past 6 games between the two rivals.
Prediction: North Carolina is on a roll with its four straight wins and 6 of 7 overall. Even though, Virginia has won 4 of the past 6 games against North Carolina, the Tar Heels enter this game playing some of the best basketball in the nation. Lean heavily on the Heels.
