Virginia Tech Hokies vs North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Pick & Prediction 2/17/24

The Hokies and Tar Heels are set to face off at 2:00 ET on ACCN. The Tar Heels will host the game at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC. This Atlantic Coast conference matchup has an over/under of 153.5 points, and North Carolina is favored to win by -10 at home vs. Virginia Tech.

VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES VS NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Virginia Tech Hokies +10

This game will be played at Dean E. Smith Center at 2:00 ET on Saturday, February 17th.

WHY BET THE VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-69 in favor of the Tar Heels.
• Even though we have North Carolina winning straight-up, we like Virginia Tech at +10.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 153.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Can the Hokies Lock in a Win at Chapel Hill?

Virginia Tech has been much better at home this season, as they are 13-3 compared to 1-7 on the road. The Hokies have lost two straight road games and are 1-9 in their last 10 games away from home. For the season, Virginia Tech has been outscored by an average of 7.9 points per game on the road.

Overall, the Hokies are 14-10, including a 6-7 record in ACC play. They have been the underdog in nine games this season, going 3-6 in those matchups. In their last game, Virginia Tech defeated Florida State, 83-75.

Virginia Tech has an overall ATS record of 10-12-2 this season and an ATS mark of 1-7 on the road. In their last 10 games as the underdog, the Hokies have gone just 3-7 vs. the spread.

Virginia Tech’s over/under record this season is 12-12 and today’s line of 153.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (143.6). So far, 15 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s line. However, over their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 and the average scoring total in those games is 151 points.

Coming off a good offensive performance, Virginia Tech’s offense scored 83 points against Florida State. Their field goal percentage for the game was 40.7%, and they went 28/32 from the free-throw line. The team’s top scorer is Sean Pedulla, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 15.8, while Hunter Cattoor also maintains a PPG average of 14.5 leading up to the game.

At this time, the Hokies’ defense is positioned 108th in the country, permitting 69.7 points per game. Virginia Tech’s three-point defense is currently 107th in the country at 6.7 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 44.5% of their shots vs. Virginia Tech.

Can the North Carolina Offense Score Enough at Home?

North Carolina has been a much better team at home this season, going 12-2 compared to their 7-4 record on the road. They have also been favored in 23 of their 25 games, and they have gone 18-5 in those games. Their average scoring margin at home is +16.9 points per game.

The Tar Heels are coming off an 86-79 loss to Syracuse, and they are 19-6 overall this season. In ACC play, they have gone 11-3, and their average scoring margin at home over their last 10 games is +16.9 points per game.

North Carolina’s ATS record this season is 14-11, and they are 8-6 vs. the spread at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Tar Heels are 5-5 ATS.

Today’s over/under line of 153.5 is similar to the average over/under line in North Carolina’s games this season (154.1). So far, 14 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. In their last three games, the average scoring total is 155 points, which is higher than today’s line.

North Carolina’s offense is coming off a good game, putting up 79 points vs. Syracuse. Overall, they hit 47.5% of their shots from the field and went 9/11 from the free-throw line. In terms of offense, the Tar Heels have a season-long field goal percentage of 44%, putting them 203rd in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 131st in percentage and 129th in three-pointers made.

On the defensive side, North Carolina is currently hovering around the NCAA’s average for points allowed, conceding an average of 71.0 points per game. So far, the North Carolina defense is giving up an average of 7.3 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 10.1 times per game (421st).