The Virginia Cavaliers (7-1) square off against the West Virginia Mountaineers (7-0) at Madison Square Garden. Action begins at 7:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Dec. 8 and can be seen on ESP and ES3.
The Cavaliers enter this game hoping for similar success after beating William & Mary 67-52 on Saturday. Anthony Gill was the game’s high scorer with 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting. The Mountaineers are coming off an 87-54 win against Kennesaw State on Saturday. Jonathan Holton had a good game for West Virginia, accumulating 17 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
Virginia is a four-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 137 points. The Cavaliers enter the game with records of 7-1 Straight Up (SU) and 3-3 Against The Spread (ATS). Virginia has been steady from the free throw line, shooting an impressive .758. The Cavaliers, sporting the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in Division I (2.12), have proven themselves to be an extremely efficient offensive team. Expect Virginia to have lots of opportunities at the line against the Mountaineers, who are one of the most foul-prone teams in the nation with an average of 22.7 fouls per game.
As for their opponent, the Mountaineers are clearly doing something right with a 7-0 record SU and 4-0 ATS so far. The Mountaineers convert their shots at a high percentage, ranking 31st in the country at .490. West Virginia is one of the better rebounding teams in Division I. The Mountaineers average 43.1 rebounds per game, making them the 23rd-best team in the country for that category. The West Virginia defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only 4.0 field goals from three-point range per game.
This game marks the first time Virginia and West Virginia have played one another in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – WVU, ATS Winner – WVU, O/U – Over
Notes
West Virginia won its last game by a 33-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Virginia is 4-0. West Virginia is 5-0 in blowouts this season.
The West Virginia Mountaineers rank 20th for their offensive rating of 119.4. The Virginia Cavaliers have a defensive rating of 92.2 (ranked 44th).
The West Virginia Mountaineers average a field goal percentage of 49.0% this season. The Virginia Cavaliers are a perfect 1-0 in games where opponents have a FG% of 49.0% or greater.
The Virginia Cavaliers and the West Virginia Mountaineers both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. Virginia is 44th and 19th in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while West Virginia ranks 87th and 31st in these categories.
West Virginia ranks among the best in the nation in assists at 20th (18.1 assists per game). Virginia is ranked 78th with 15.6 assists per game.
Ranked 23rd in the nation, West Virginia averages 43.1 rebounds per game. Virginia ranks lower at 225th with 35.9 RPG.
Virginia makes 6.2 steals per game. In games where it gives up 6 or more steals, West Virginia is undefeated at 5-0.
