Virginia vs. Miami Odds, Picks, Predictions College Basketball: Cavaliers Favored in Top-25 Matchup
The Virginia Cavaliers suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday when they fell 69-61 to the Houston Cougars. The game featured a very low total of 114, which was cleared with relative ease. Find out which way we lean Tuesday with our Virginia-Miami picks.
Virginia travels to Coral Gables to take on the 11-1 Miami Hurricanes. This will be the first time the Hurricanes have faced a top-25 team this season.
Here is our best Virginia vs. Miami college basketball pick (odds via PointsBet; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
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Virginia vs. Miami Game Info
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 20,
8:30 p.m. ET
TV: ACC Network
Location: Watsco Center,
Coral Gables, FL
Virginia vs. Miami Odds
Virginia vs. Miami Odds Analysis
From the moment this line came out, the Cavaliers have been favored. Had they managed to knock off the Cougars, it is very likely they would be favored by even more. However, after the loss, they opened as just 1.5-point favorites. That line has moved to as high as -3 at some of the major sportsbooks.
The total opened at 134.5 but has dropped to 132. The Hurricanes are averaging 79 points per game, but it seems as though bettors are expecting the stout defense of the Cavaliers to get the better of the Canes on Tuesday.
Virginia vs. Miami Pick
Cavaliers -2.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hurricanes were a great story in March when they made a run to the Elite 8, and they have used that momentum to get off to a great start in 2022. However, they have not played much of anyone to this point. Their only loss was to the Maryland Terrapins, who were briefly ranked after that game but have since dropped because of a three-game losing streak.
The Cavaliers play stifling defense, which is going to cause problems for the Hurricanes and their leading scorer, Isaiah Wong. The Canes like to get up and down the floor quickly, and they have been able to inflict their will over teams that don’t have much of an identity this season.
Virginia has an identity, though, and it is to slow opponents down and grind out victories. Miami won’t be able to get out in fast breaks in this one, and even with the home crowd on the Canes’ side, it won’t be enough.
The Cavaliers are just outside the top 50 in field-goal percentage allowed. Considering they have achieved that while playing against three top-25 teams is impressive. The Canes will keep this close because Virginia very rarely blows anyone away, but being their first real test of the season, Miami won’t be able to hold on late to get the win.
Virginia vs. Miami Best Odds
PointsBet (-110)
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
| -3 (-110) | -3.5 (-102) | -2.5 (-115) | -3 (-110) | -2.5 (-110) |
There is quite a bit of disagreement among the major sportsbooks about where this line should be. Though everyone agrees Virginia should be favored, there is very little agreement about the total the Cavaliers should be favored by.
FanDuel has them favored by 3.5, the largest spread, but the price is also the best at just -102. Both DraftKings and Caesars have the spread listed at -3 for a normal price of -110. Yet, straggling behind are BetMGM and PointsBet, who both have the line at -2.5.
It’s very unlikely the line stays here, as it seems like all the early action is favoring Virginia. Therefore, get in as quickly as possible on the Cavaliers to avoid having to take this at 3.5 or 4.
Virginia-Miami picks made 12/20/2022 at 9:22 a.m. ET.
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