Furman vs. Virginia Predictions, Odds & Picks: Paladins Looking for Upset in March Madness

Check out our Furman vs. Virginia predictions for their Thursday's March Madness matchup based on the best college basketball odds.

Philip Wood

Last Updated: October 8, 2025 11:05 AM EDT • 4 minute read

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The Furman Paladins are one of the most popular upset predictions in Round 1 of March Madness. They will be tasked with deciphering the defense of the Virginia Cavaliers on Thursday. Here is our best Furman vs. Virginia prediction based on the top NCAAB odds.

The Paladins enter the NCAA Tournament with the 11th-highest scoring offense in the country. They averaged over 80 points per game this season on their way to the SoCon regular season and tournament title. Leading scorer Mike Bothwell is averaging 18 points per game this season.

The Cavaliers enter the tournament after earning a share of the ACC regular-season title. They advanced to the ACC championship game before losing to the Duke Blue Devils by a score of 59-49. They shot just 33.3% from the field in that game.

Here is our best Furman vs. Virginia prediction (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Furman vs. Virginia odds

Furman vs. Virginia prediction

Furman Under 63.5 points (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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This is a game of clashing styles. The Paladins want to get out and run, while the Cavaliers want to slow you down and make you take game possession by possession. When such opposing styles meet in the NCAA Tournament, the better team normally enforces its will. On Thursday, the Cavs will be the better team.

Check out why BetMGM bettors are picking No. 13 Furman to upset Virginia here.

Many believe that this is a prime upset spot because the Cavaliers struggle to score, but we disagree. While the low-scoring nature of the Cavs’ offense allows teams to hang around, their defense is among the best in the country for a reason.

Building a March Madness bracket this year? Check out our guide on how to fill out a March Madness bracket and tail our experts' March Madness bracket predictions. Then, test your skills in these free March Madness bracket challenges.

The Cavaliers have held five straight opponents to 60 points or fewer. This season, they have held 17 of their 32 opponents to 60 or fewer, and they have not allowed a single team to score 80 points against them. In other words, you can throw out the Paladins’ season average for this game.

The Paladins could potentially cover the spread in this game, but there is also the chance that the Cavaliers get hot against a bad defense. Rather than taking the spread, we suggest you take the Cavaliers to do what they have done all season: frustrate an opposing offense.

Check out our best March Madness odds and Wooden Award odds.

Furman vs. Virginia best odds

DraftKings (-110)

DraftKings	FanDuel	BetMGM	Caesars	PointsBet
Under 63.5	Under 63.5	N/A	Under 63.5	N/A
-110	-112	N/A	-115	N/A

Check out our breakdown of the best March Madness odds and all of our March Madness picks and betting trends.

Just three of the five major sportsbooks are offering a team total for Furman at the moment. Both BetMGM and PointsBet will likely add a line on Wednesday, so keep an eye on that number when it comes out.

DraftKings is currently offering the best price for Under 63.5, but there is no rush on getting in on this number. We’d be happy to take this as low as 61.5. Wait for the other sportsbooks to put out lines, and see what kind of price you can get from them before wagering.

Furman vs. Virginia odds analysis

The Cavaliers opened as 5.5-point favorites, and there has been no movement. Bettors are split, with 53% of wagers coming in on the Cavaliers. There is likely to be minimal movement ahead of tipoff.

The total opened at 132.5, and there has been some movement across the five major sports betting sites. BetMGM still has the line where it opened, but Caesars and DraftKings dropped the number to 132, while FanDuel and PointsBet dropped it to 131.5. The Under is backed by just 51% of bettors.

Furman vs. Virginia game info

Date: Thursday, March 16, 12:40 p.m. ET
TV: truTV
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, FL

Furman vs. Virginia pick made 03/14/2023 at 10:31 a.m. ET.

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Written by:
Philip Wood

Phil has covered sports betting since 2016 and has been sharing his NFL experience with SportsBook Review since 2022. He previously hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast for CanesInsight.com. He is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is that if a line doesn't make sense just assume oddsmakers know something you don't. He also loves in-season futures. There is so much value to be had as the public overreacts weekly. Bettors tend to forget just how long NFL and college football seasons are. After all, the Green Bay Packers were 2-5 in 2023 and they made it to the Divisional Round. When deciding where to bet, it comes down to value over everything. +100 is always better than -110. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. He is also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and is willing to forgive Dan Campbell for forgetting that a kicker can be useful.