Barry Recks
The Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina Tar Heels are all set to go at each other this Saturday at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Will the Hoos come away with a win? Or will the Tar Heels get even with Tony Bennett’s squad?’
Read on for more about this Virginia vs North Carolina 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 Virginia Cavaliers vs North Carolina Tar Heels College Basketball Game on February 25, 2023
- Where: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- When: Saturday, February 25, 2023, 6:00 PM ET
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Betting on the Virginia Cavaliers
- Regular Season Record: 21-5
There’s a major reason why the Hoos have been generally successful this season. If you say it’s because of their defense, you’ll always be right about it. Virginia owns one of the toughest defenses in the nation. It is top 10 in Division I basketball in terms of scoring defense and No. 1 in the conference when it comes to adjusted defensive efficiency.
The Cavs are also an experienced bunch, with seniors Armaan Franklin, Kihei Clark, and Jayden Gardner leading the charge. In the first meeting with North Carolina last January, Virginia held the Tar Heels to only 39.6 FG% and forced them to commit 13 turnovers in a 65-58 win in Charlottesville. If there’s one thing we know about the Cavs, it’s that their defense always works, and it’s likely to be again this coming Saturday. Virginia has won eight of the last 10 meetings with the Tar Heels, going 8-2 ATS in those games as well.
Betting on the North Carolina Tar Heels
- Regular Season Record: 17-11
The Tar Heels can feel a whole lot more confident about getting a higher seed in the NCAA tournament down the road if they can take care of business at home this weekend versus Virginia. To score that payback victory against the Hoos, the Tar Heels are going to need a big game from Armando Bacot.
The 6-11 center played just a minute in the previous matchup against the Cavaliers due to an injury, but he is healthy now, so that’s one huge plus for the Tar Heels. Bacot’s presence, particularly his rebounding, will be an important weapon in countering the pace of Virginia. Bacot and the Tar Heels are one of the top rebounding teams in the nation, consistently ranking inside the top 10 in boards per contest and in defensive rebounding rate. North Carolina is 6-4 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
JefeBet Prediction
Bacot is a game-changer for North Carolina, and his presence will result in a much tighter contest this time around between the Tar Heels and the Cavaliers.
Prediction: North Carolina spread.
