[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]
The No. 22 Memphis Tigers (8-2) face the Virginia Cavaliers (6-4) Wednesday. Tip-off from John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the Memphis vs. Virginia odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Memphis pulled off an impressive win Saturday, taking down the then-ranked Clemson Tigers 87-82 in overtime as 5.5-point road underdogs. The Over 144 hit, thanks to the Tigers’ hot shooting from beyond the arc, where they hit 48% (12-of-25). The dynamic backcourt duo of Tyrese Hunter and Colby Rogers led the charge, combining for 55 points to secure the victory.
After dropping 2 straight, the Cavaliers bounced back with a 59-41 win over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Thursday, covering as 16-point home favorites. The Under 126 hit with ease in this low-scoring matchup. Despite some sloppy play with 11 turnovers, Virginia got a strong performance from F Elijah Saunders, who posted 15 points, 8 rebounds, a steal and a block.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll
Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+
Memphis at Virginia odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college basketball odds. Lines last updated Tuesday at 10:11 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Memphis -250 (bet $250 to win $100) | Virginia +195 (bet $100 to win $195)
- Against the spread (ATS): Memphis -6.5 (-105) | Virginia +6.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 130.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]
Memphis at Virginia picks and predictions
Prediction
Memphis 73, Virginia 64
Moneyline
PASS.
Memphis (-250) will win this game on Wednesday night but is too costly so I’ll take my wager to the spread.
Against the spread
BET MEMPHIS -6.5 (-105).
This is a classic offense vs. defense matchup, but Memphis’s high-powered offense should take control here. The Tigers average 19.7 more points per game than Virginia, while the Cavaliers allow 16.9 fewer. But let’s be real—Memphis just has too much firepower for Virginia to keep up.
The Tigers shoot 47.2% from the field (72nd in the country), compared to Virginia’s 43.9% (184th). Their 3-point shooting is even more impressive, hitting 44.3%—2nd best in the nation. For context, Memphis shoots better from deep than Virginia does overall. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers haven’t scored more than 70 points against any top-100 KenPom team this year.
PJ Haggerty, who’s averaing 21.9 PPG, will be a nightmare for Virginia’s defense. The Tigers are too efficient offensively, and their shooting will be tough to match. Memphis should have no trouble covering the spread on Wednesday night.
Over/Under
BET OVER 130.5 (-115).
My first instinct with this line is to take the Over without hesitation. Memphis is putting up 81 points per game and has hit the Over in 5 of their last 6 matchups. The lowest total Memphis has seen this season is 144.
Yes, Virginia is known for its traditionally strong defense and has been Under in 3 of their last 4 games, but even they are averaging 61.4 points. Combined, these two teams average 142 points per game. Factoring in what they allow defensively, the total still clears 137 (77 for Memphis, 60 for Virginia).
It’s hard to see this game staying Under 130 on Wednesday night.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow @DrewPhelps05 on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / Recruiting / Transfer portal / College Football Playoffs / College Sports Wire / High School
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]