The No. 15 Louisville Cardinals (16-6, 7-2 ACC) head to Virginia Tech to take on the No. 12 Hokies (18-3, 7-2 ACC) in a matchup that pits great offense against tremendous defense. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, February 4, 2019, and will air on ESPN.
Louisville Cardinals at Virginia Tech Hokies Betting Prediction
The Cardinals are trying to rebound after their 79-69 loss to the No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels in their last contest. North Carolina out-rebounded Louisville. The Tar Heels had 18 offensive rebounds and 49 total rebounds, while the Cardinals had seven and 32, respectively. Dwayne Sutton led Louisville in scoring with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting.
In the Hokies’ previous matchup, they had no trouble getting past the No. 23 North Carolina State Wolfpack, 47-24. The Hokies had a much better free throw rate (0.178 vs. 0.074) and held the Wolfpack to an effective field goal percentage of 0.185 (below their season average of 0.550). Kerry Blackshear Jr. was the top scorer from either team with 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting from the field.
It might turn into a high-scoring affair as a pair of the NCAA’s top offenses battle. Virginia Tech ranks fourth with 118.9 points per 100 possessions and Louisville is 38th (113.2). Additionally, the Cardinals, who rank fifth in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.315), will face a tough challenge against the Hokies, who rank 15th in opponents’ FTA rate (0.169).
After the Cardinals won both matchups against the Hokies last season, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. In the most recent matchup, Louisville won 75-68. The Cardinals had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (39.4 vs. 18.4) and had a better free throw rate (0.268 vs. 0.169).
Louisville Cardinals vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Betting Pick
College Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Virginia Tech, ATS Winner – Virginia Tech, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes:
Louisville ranks 59th in rebounds per game (38.0) while Virginia Tech ranks 262nd (32.7).
The Cardinals rank 78th in three pointers allowed per game (21.0) while the Hokies rank 259th (26.2).
Virginia Tech ranks 20th in assists per game (16.6) while Louisville ranks 104th (14.1).
The Hokies rank 46th in blocks allowed per game (2.7) while the Cardinals rank 108th (3.5).
Virginia Tech ranks 34th in steals allowed per game (5.2) while Louisville ranks 70th (5.7).
Bettings Trends:
The Cardinals’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 13.6, up from 11.0 for the season.
During their last five games, the Hokies have scored an average of 75.2 points per game (2.1 below their season average) and allowed an average of 64.8 points per game (4.6 above their season average).
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