Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Virginia Cavaliers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/25/25
Looking to win big? The Fighting Irish and Cavaliers face off at 6:30 ET on ESPN2. The Cavaliers are hosting the game at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA. Notre Dame come into this Atlantic Coast conference matchup as the -1.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 126.5 points.
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH VS VIRGINIA CAVALIERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Virginia Cavaliers +1.5
This game will be played at John Paul Jones Arena at 6:30 ET on Saturday, January 25th.
WHY BET THE VIRGINIA CAVALIERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Cavaliers.
- Not only will Virginia pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 126.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.
Can the Fighting Irish Pull Off a Road Win?
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Recent Game/Games
The Fighting Irish dropped to 8-10 on the season after a 77-69 road loss to Syracuse on Saturday. Notre Dame, who entered the game as -4.5 favorites, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 146, just under the O/U line of 147.5.
Notre Dame led 42-33 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring only 27 points while allowing 44.
Notre Dame put up 69 points in their latest game, shooting 42.1% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.6%, and they hit 88.9% of their free throws, going 16-for-18 from the line.
Markus Burton led the way with 28 points, shooting 46.2% overall and 40.0% from three. J.J. Starling added 21 points, hitting 3 of 8 from deep. The Irish managed just 3 assists as a team, with Burton contributing 2 of them.
Notre Dame’s defense gave up 77 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 41% from the field. They allowed 24 made field goals on 58 attempts.
From beyond the arc, the opposing team shot 33%, hitting 8 of 24 three-point attempts. Notre Dame also sent them to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 21 free throws, shooting 61%.
Will the Cavaliers Pull Through as the Home Underdog?
Virginia Cavaliers Recent Game/Games
Virginia improved to 9-10 on the season with a 74-56 home win over Boston College on Tuesday. The Cavaliers, who were -8.5 favorites, covered the spread, and the game’s total points of 130 exceeded the O/U line of 124.5.
Virginia took control early, leading 41-23 at halftime. They scored 33 points in the 2nd half while allowing the same number of points to the Eagles.
Virginia’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 74 points with a 52% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 64%, thanks in large part to their 55% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 11 of 20 attempts. They also connected on 11 of 14 free throws, good for 78.6%.
Isaac McKneely led the way with 21 points, knocking down 6 of 9 threes, while Fred Payne and Andrew Rohde added 17 and 16 points, respectively. Rohde was perfect from deep, hitting both of his attempts, and dished out 6 assists. Virginia finished with 17 assists as a team, with 7 offensive rebounds.
Virginia’s defense gave up 56 points, with the opposing team shooting 52% from the field. They hit 15 of 30 two-point attempts, good for 50%.
From beyond the arc, the other team shot 55%, making 11 of 20 threes. They also went 11/14 from the free-throw line, shooting 78%.