Virginia Cavaliers vs Clemson Tigers NCAAB Prediction 2/28/23

Odds

2022-2023 season stats

Preview

The Virginia Cavaliers will host the Clemson Tigers at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia, on February 28th, 2023, for an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) matchup. The Cavaliers enter the game with a 21-6 overall record and a 13-5 record in conference play, while the Tigers have a 21-8 overall record and a 13-5 record in conference play. Virginia is the favorite to win the game, with a -6 point spread.

Clemson Tigers

The Clemson Tigers have had a solid season so far, with a 21-8 overall record and a 13-5 record in conference play. They are currently tied for second place in the ACC standings with Virginia, behind Pittsburgh and Miami. Clemson's offense has been one of the best in the conference this season, averaging 75.7 points per game, which ranks second in the ACC. Defensively, they have been solid, allowing just 68.3 points per game, which ranks fifth in the conference.

Offensively, the Tigers have been led by junior forward H. Tyson, who is averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game. Tyson has been one of the best players in the conference this season and has provided consistent scoring and rebounding for Clemson. Guard C. Hunter has been the primary ball-handler for the Tigers and has been effective in distributing the ball, averaging 4.5 assists per game.

Defensively, Clemson has been solid this season, allowing just 68.3 points per game and holding their opponents to just 47.2% shooting from the field, which ranks eighth in the conference. They have been one of the best teams in the conference at forcing turnovers, averaging 5.3 steals per game, which ranks third in the ACC. Additionally, they have been effective in limiting their opponents' three-point shooting, allowing just 32.3% shooting from beyond the arc, which ranks fourth in the conference.

One area where Clemson has struggled this season is their free-throw shooting. They are shooting just 68.5% from the free-throw line, which ranks 12th in the ACC. If they hope to pull off the upset against Virginia, they will need to improve their free-throw shooting and limit their turnovers.

Virginia Cavaliers

The Virginia Cavaliers have had a strong season so far, with a 21-6 record overall and a 13-5 record in conference play. They are currently tied for second place in the ACC standings with Clemson, behind Pittsburgh and Miami. Virginia's offense has been solid this season, averaging 68.1 points per game, which ranks seventh in the conference. Defensively, they have been one of the best teams in the conference, allowing just 60.6 points per game, which ranks first in the ACC.

Offensively, the Cavaliers have been led by senior guard A. Franklin, who is averaging a team-high 12.4 points per game and shooting 41.9% from the field. Franklin has been the most consistent scorer for Virginia this season and has provided clutch scoring when the team needed it. Junior guard K. Clark has been the primary ball-handler for the Cavaliers and has been effective in distributing the ball, averaging 5.7 assists per game.

Defensively, Virginia has been dominant this season, allowing just 60.6 points per game and holding their opponents to just 44.7% shooting from the field, which ranks fourth in the conference. They have been one of the best shot-blocking teams in the conference, averaging 4.2 blocks per game, and have been solid on the glass, averaging 32.1 rebounds per game.

One area where Virginia has struggled this season is turnovers. They are averaging 11.9 turnovers per game, which is the eighth-worst in the conference. Additionally, they have been inconsistent from beyond the arc, shooting just 33.5% from three-point range, which is the ninth-worst in the conference. If Virginia hopes to win the game against Clemson and cover the -6.5 point spread, they will need to take better care of the ball and shoot the ball more efficiently from long range.

BETTING TRENDS

The total has gone OVER in 7 of Texas Tech's last 9 games.

Texas Tech are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games.

Texas Tech are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against Kansas.

Texas Tech are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games against Kansas.

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas Tech's last 5 games on the road.

Texas Tech are 1-17 SU in their last 18 games when playing on the road against Kansas.

Kansas are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.

Kansas are 6-0 SU in their last 6 games.

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas' last 5 games against Texas Tech.

Kansas are 19-1 SU in their last 20 games at home.

Prediction

Based on their lack of defense and the recent struggles of Clemson, I believe that Virginia will win and cover the -6 point spread. Virginia has one of the best defenses in the nation and has been dominant at home this season, going 14-1 at the John Paul Jones Arena. Meanwhile, Clemson has struggled on the road this season, going 5-5 in away games.

While Clemson has several talented offensive players who can score from anywhere on the court, they have struggled with consistency this season, particularly on the defensive end. They are allowing 68.3 points per game, which ranks eighth in the conference, and they have allowed their opponents to shoot 47.2% from the field, which is the second-worst in the ACC.

In conclusion, while Clemson has the potential to keep the game close, particularly if they can shoot the ball at an efficient rate, we believe that Virginia is the better team and should win the game comfortably. With their impressive defensive performance this season, they have the ability to shut down Clemson's offense and cover the -6.5 point spread.

PICK: Virginia -6 (-110)

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