Barry Recks
Are we about to see an upset in this matchup between the Furman Paladins and the Virginia Cavaliers? There’s only way to find out, and that’s to wait for this battle to happen on Thursday in the first round od the 2023 NCAA tournament.
Read on for more about this Furman vs Virginia matchup in the 2022-23 college basketball season, including the latest odds, pick, and prediction to win this showdown, as brought to you by JefeBet. Also, don’t forget to check out the other NCAAB game previews here to help you make the best betting decisions.
Predictions and Betting Preview for the Furman Paladins vs Virginia Cavaliers NCAA Basketball Championship Round 1 Game on March 16, 2023
- Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
- When: Thursday, March 16, 2023, 12:40 PM ET
- March Madness Betting Odds: View NCAAB Odds
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Betting on the Furman Paladins
- Regular Season Record: 27-7
Sure, Furman is the big underdog against the Cavaliers in this first-round matchup in the NCAA tournament, but we know a little bit of March Madness history about Virginia. Some years ago, Virginia, then a No. 1 seed, became just the first No. 1 team to lose in the first round in the history of the Big Dance.
And if the Paladins are to upset Virginia this coming Thursday, it will have to be because of their offense. Furman has one of the most productive offenses in the nation, with the Paladins ranking 11th overall with 80.4 points per game. They are shooting 47.6 percent from the field and are especially dangerous inside the arc, where they are making an NCA-best 59.1 percent of their attempts. The Paladins move the ball so well, as evidenced by their 16.4 assists per game average and 0.585 assists per field goal made.
Betting on the Virginia Cavaliers
- Regular Season Record: 25-7
Virginia is coming off a loss in the ACC tournament title game against the Duke Blue Devils last Saturday, 25-7. Despite that defeat, the Hoos are undoubtedly expected by the majority to pass the test in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
As always, Virginia’s strength lies mostly in its defense which is 25th nationally with 94.8 points allowed per 100 possessions adjusted and fifth in scoring defense with opponents making only 60.3 points per contest. While Furman loves to score and always gets its way on offense, it hasn’t faced a defensive team quite like Virginia, which also boasts of a ton of experience in this position of the season, with seniors Armaan Franklin, Jayden Gardner, and Kihei Clark leading the charge.
JefeBet Prediction
Despite Virginia’s renowned defense, Furman is going to find plenty of success on offense enough to keep the game close until the last few minutes of the contest. Virginia still pulls off a win, though.
Prediction: Virginia wins, 73-68.
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