Tar Heels Visit Virginia in Late Season ACC Showdown
College basketball’s regular season is quickly coming to an end meaning every conference matchup is important for seeding in end of the season conference tournaments. Two nationally ranked teams take to the court on Saturday in an ACC showdown.
The No. 6 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels visit the No. 3 ranked Virginia Cavaliers in what should be a hard fought battle. The current line has Virginia favored by 3.5 points with the over/under point total sitting on 112.
Entering this game, North Carolina has an overall record on the season of 23-5 straight up and 12-15 against the spread. On the road, the Tar Heels are 5-4 SU and 2-6 ATS.
Virginia on the season has a record of 21-6 SU and 12-13 ATS. At home, the Cavaliers are 13-0 SU and 6-5 ATS.
North Carolina will be Virginia’s toughest opponent thus far in the season. This game will feature one of the country’s top offensive teams against one of the nation’s top defensive team. North Carolina has won 6 of the past 10 games in this series, with three of the six wins at Virginia.
Last year, the Tar Heels defeated Virginia 71-67 on the Cavaliers home court. The Tar Heels have averaged more than 80 points per game on offense over their past five games played. Virginia has averaged only 65.4 points scored over its past five.
Virginia is coming off a loss to Miami this past Monday. The Cavaliers are trailing ACC leading North Carolina by 2 games, after their 3-point loss to Miami.
On Wednesday, North Carolina moved closer to clinching the top seed in the conference with a 12-point victory on the road against North Carolina State. Brice Johnson scored a team-high 22 points while grabbing 11 rebounds.
North Carolina is winners of four of its past five overall, while Virginia has lost two of its last three following a winning streak of seven straight.
Virginia allowed Miami to scored 10 3-point baskets on Monday.
Johnson has been the high scorer and high rebounder for North Carolina in the last four Tar Heels games.
The OVER has cashed in each of the past 4 games played between the two ACC rivals.
The favorite has covered the number in 4 of the past 5 games between the two.
Prediction: North Carolina has the hotter hand coming into this matchup. The Tar Heels have been riding high of late and can come closer to wrapping up the best record in the ACC with a win. Lean heavily toward the Heels in this one.
