[mm-video type=video id=01gved089g4bg8hvxtj0 playlist_id=none player_id=01evcg1x9ny8tb834m image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gved089g4bg8hvxtj0/01gved089g4bg8hvxtj0-3dc54a5dbd48b9ec5483c0ce0eebf69e.jpg]
The 13-seed Furman Paladins (27-7) face the 4-seed Virginia Cavaliers (25-7) Thursday in a 1st Round South Region game in the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off from Amway Center in Orlando is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. ET (truTV). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Furman vs. Virginia odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
The Paladins won the Southern Conference tournament title with a solid 88-79 victory over Chattanooga on March 6. Furman has won 6 straight games and is 14-5 against the spread (ATS) across its last 19 games overall.
Furman played 2 teams in the NCAA Tournament field this season — NC State and Penn State — losing and failing to cover either matchup. The loss to the Wolfpack, its only ACC opponent, came by 19 points on Dec. 13 in Raleigh.
The Cavaliers came up short in the ACC Tournament championship game against Duke on Saturday (59-49). The Hoos are just 4-3 straight-up (SU) across the past 7 games and 2-6-1 ATS across the past 9 games.
[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Virginia vs Furman” link=”https://sling-tv.pxf.io/KjKy3A”]
Virginia is 4-4 SU and ATS in 8 games against teams in the NCAA Tournament field, including a victory over 3-seed Baylor.
Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3003″ ]
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3006″ ]
[betwidget_tipico]
Furman vs. Virginia odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Furman +210 (bet $100 to win $210) | Virginia -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Furman +5.5 (-115) | Virginia -5.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 132.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports’ Men and Women’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $5,000 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!
Furman vs. Virginia picks and predictions
Prediction
Virginia 70, Furman 61
Moneyline
Virginia (-250) will cost you 2 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s just too much risk for not enough reward.
PASS.
Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+
Against the spread
VIRGINIA -5.5 (-110) is the play. Furman is the sexy pick based on its impressive ATS record this season, but who has it really played? In 2 games against NCAA Tournament teams, the Paladins are 0-2 SU/ATS, losing by an average margin of 12.0 PPG.
It will also be in the back of everyone’s mind that UVA is the only team to lose to a 16-seed in the men’s tournament, so right or wrong, people tend to doubt the Cavaliers. However, this is a good team — especially defensively — and Virginia will hold down a Furman team that has rolled up big numbers in the SoCon.
Don’t think too much and be too fancy with the upsets. Furman has played nobody, and it isn’t on the same level as Virginia.
Over/Under
UNDER 132.5 (-108) is the lean, but tread lightly.
Furman has put up 79 or more points in 9 of its last 11 games, but it hasn’t faced a lockdown and frustrating defense like Virginia.
The Under is 8-2 in the past 10 neutral-site games for the Hoos and is 5-2 in their last 7 NCAA Tournament games.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
For sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Plus, try out the USA TODAY Parlay Calculator and please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]