Cavaliers Look To Continue Recent Success vs Hokies

The Virginia Cavaliers (9-6 SU, 6-9 ATS) are 4-1 SU and ATS over their last five games against the Virginia Tech Hokies (8-6, 8-6). The Cavaliers will try to earn another win over their in-state rivals Wednesday night when they take on the Hokies in Charlottesville.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Hokies opened as 1.5-point road favorites, but betting action on the Cavaliers has swung the line over to Virginia -1.5. The total has also seen a dip down to 117 points after Sportsbook at 118.5 points. The UNDER is 5-2 in the last seven games between Virginia and Virginia Tech, including 3-0 in the last three when the teams have combined for an average total of 109.7 points.

Virginia Tech News & Notes

The Hokies came off a 12-day break as 9.5-point favorites at home against the NC State Wolfpack and were unable to get the job done in a 68-63 upset loss. Keve Aluma scored 18 points and had six rebounds and Storm Murphy added 14 points with five assists but no other Hokies player had more than nine points. Offensive production has been an issue for Virginia Tech all season long as the Hokies rank 242nd in the nation in scoring, averaging 70.5 points per game.

Virginia Tech’s low-scoring offense should theoretically be offset by its defense, which ranks 14th in the nation, allowing only 58.7 points per game. But since dominating the easy portion of their schedule with a 5-0 SU and ATS start to the season, the Hokies have gone just 3-6 SU and ATS over their last nine games and are 2-6 SU and ATS when not favored by double digits.

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Virginia News & Notes

Virginia’s offense this season has been even worse than Virginia Tech’s, averaging only 63.3 points per game to rank 380th in the country in scoring. The Cavaliers have managed to compile a 9-6 SU and 6-9 ATS record due to their 15th-ranked defense that allows 58.8 points per game, but that defense was unable to solve the North Carolina Tar Heels last Saturday in a 74-58 loss as 5-point road underdogs. Virginia was 3-1 SU and ATS in its previous four games before the loss.

Jayden Gardner was held to just 10 points against North Carolina. As the team’s leading scorer with 15 points per game and one of only three Cavaliers averaging more than 7.3 points, Gardner can’t afford to have too many off-nights.

Home court could elevate the Cavaliers to a win and cover in what should be a tightly contested game. The real key to victory will be for Jayden Gardner to outduel Keve Aluma as these are the players these two teams rely on heavily to run their offenses.

Computer Pick: Virginia Tech +1.5

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