The No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers (18-1, 7-0 ACC) put their 10-game winning streak on the line when they meet the No. 20 Clemson Tigers (16-3, 5-2 ACC) at John Paul Jones Arena. The games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 118 points with Virginia opening as an 8.5-point favorite. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.
Clemson Tigers vs. Virginia Cavaliers Odds Preview
In the Tigers last outing, they beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 67-58. With 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Clemson’s Shelton Mitchell played well. Clemson dominated nearly every stat category in the game. They had a free throw rate of 0.231 (matching their season average) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.529 (below their season average of 0.553). For those same stats, Notre Dame was 0.032 and 0.452, respectively.
The Cavaliers hope to keep it rolling after topping the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in their last game, 59-49. Virginia was lifted by Kyle Guy, who was the games leading scorer with 17 points on 5-for-13 shooting. Virginia played a nearly perfect game. They had an offensive rebounding percentage of 25.8 (below their season average of 28.1) and a turnover percentage of 15.1 (worse than their season average of 13.3). For those same stats, Wake Forest recorded marks of 20.0 and 18.7, respectively.
The game should be a showdown of strength against strength as the high-powered offense of Virginia takes on the elite defense of Clemson. The Cavaliers rank 47th in offensive efficiency, while the Tigers are 35th in defensive efficiency.
Of Clemson’s 16 games with betting action, eight have finished over the O/U total, while 12 of Virginia’s 16 games have finished under the O/U total. Looking at straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records, the Cavaliers have a sizable advantage. They are 18-1 SU and 12-4 ATS, while the Tigers are 16-3 SU and 10-5-1 ATS.
This will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. The Cavaliers won the lone contest played against each other last season, 77-73. The Cavaliers played a nearly perfect game. They had a ridiculous effective field goal percentage of 0.680 and a solid offensive rebounding percentage of 30.4. For those same stats, the Tigers recorded marks of 0.563 and 28.1, respectively.
Clemson Tigers vs. Virginia Cavaliers ATS Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Virginia, ATS Winner – Clemson, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- The Cavaliers allow the fewest assists per game (8.1) while the Tigers rank 32nd (11.1).
- Clemson is 3-4-1 ATS on the road with 5 overs and 3 unders.
- Virginia is 6-3 ATS at home with 6 unders and 3 overs.
- Clemson ranks 138th in rebounds per game (36.1) while Virginia ranks 256th (32.9).
- The Cavaliers rank 27th in blocks allowed per game (2.6) while the Tigers rank 71st (3.2).
- Virginia allows the sixth-fewest steals per game (4.3) while Clemson ranks 43rd (5.4).
Betting Trends:
- Virginia is 4-1 ATS with 4 unders and 1 over in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, Clemson is 2-2-1 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under.
- The Cavaliers average margin of victory in their last five games has been 12.4, down from 17.2 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Tigers have scored an average of 73.8 points per game (3.2 below their season average) and allowed an average of 71.0 points per game (5.8 above their season average).
