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College Basketball

Saturday’s ACC Action

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
The race for the regular season basketball title in the ACC is in full swing. This Saturday’s lineup of games features a trio of interesting betting matchups including a pair of heated in-state battles and a huge showdown between two of the top five teams in the nation.

North Carolina State at No. 10 North Carolina (CBS, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Lines: Tar Heels -12, Total 161

Betting Matchup

NC State evened its straight-up record in conference play to 4-4 with Wednesday’s 72-68 victory against Pittsburgh, but it could not cover as a 9 ½-point road favorite to fall to 3-5 against the spread in the ACC. The total has stayed UNDER in three of its last four contests and the Wolfpack are now 0-4 ATS this season on the road. Behind sophomore center Omer Yurtseven’s 16 points and senior guard Allerik Freeman’s 13 points off the bench, NC State was able to overcome a 10-point deficit at the half to get past Pitt.

Just when the Tar Heels were making a move back up the national rankings, Monday’s stunning 80-69 loss to Virginia Tech as 3 ½-point road favorites should send them a few spots in the other direction regardless of this Saturday’s outcome. North Carolina is 5-3 SU in the ACC and 3-4-1 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in five of those eight games. Luke Maye and Joel Berry II each scored 23 points in the losing cause against the Hokies.

Betting Trends

-- The Wolfpack are 4-17 ATS in their last 21 road games and the total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last nine games on the road.

-- The Tar Heels have gone 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games coming off a SU loss and the total has stayed UNDER in 14 of their last 21 ACC games.

-- Head-to-head in this heated in-state rivalry, North Carolina has won the last four meetings SU with a 3-1 edge ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings.

No. 2 Virginia at No. 4 Duke (CBS, 2:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Lines: Blue Devils -4, Total 133 ½

Betting Matchup

The Cavaliers’ shutdown defense was on full display in Tuesday’s 61-36 rout of Clemson as 9 ½-point home favorites. They remain undefeated in ACC play at 8-0 SU with a healthy 6-2 record ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of those eight games behind a defense that is ranked first in the nation in points allowed (51.6). When it comes to scoring points, guards’ Kyle Guy (15.2) and Devon Hall (12.7) have led the way. Guy has exceeded his scoring average in three of his last five starts.

Duke will still try and beat you at the offensive end of the court as the top scoring team in the country with an average of 91.7 points per game. The Blue Devils come into this showdown 6-2 SU in conference play as part of a five-game winning streak while covering in four of those contests. They are an even 4-4 ATS in the ACC with the total staying UNDER in four of their last five outings. Freshman sensation Marvin Bagley III continues to lead Duke in scoring with 21.6 PPG while pulling down 11.5 rebounds a game.

Betting Trends

-- The Cavaliers have covered in six of their last seven road games and the total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in 17 of their last 22 games played on Saturday.

-- The Blue Devils are just 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 Saturday games and the total has gone OVER in seven of their last 10 home games.

-- The underdog in this matchup has covered in the last five meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in five of the last seven meetings at Duke.

Miami, Fl. at Florida State (ACC Network, 4:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Lines: Seminoles -4 ½, Total 148

Betting Matchup

Miami bounced back from a shaky 2-3 SU start in conference play with back-to-back victories against NC State on the road as an underdog and Louisville at home on Wednesday in a 78-75 victory as a 4 ½-point favorite. The Hurricanes are now 2-4 ATS in their last six games with the total going OVER in their last five outings. Freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV led all scorers in Wednesday’s win with 25 points and he has exceeded his 10.2-point scoring average in his last four starts.

The Seminoles are riding a modest two-game winning streak both SU and ATS after getting past Virginia Tech on the road as slight underdogs before beating Georgia Tech 88-77 on Wednesday as 10-point favorites at home. The total went OVER in both matchups and it has gone OVER in seven of their last nine games. Florida State is 21st in the nation in scoring with an average of 84.7 PPG led by junior guard Terance Mann’s 16.1 points a game. He posted 30 points against the Yellow Jackets his last time out.

Betting Trends

-- The Hurricanes have covered in five of their last seven road games and the total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last eight games on Saturday.

-- The Seminoles are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games at home and the total has gone OVER in their last five games following a SU win.

-- Miami has a slight 4-2 SU (3-3 ATS) edge in the last six meetings including an 80-74 victory against the Seminoles earlier this month as a two-point home favorite. The total went OVER 144 points in that win after staying UNDER in the previous four meetings in this heated Florida rivalry.


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