College Basketball Picks: Virginia Cavaliers vs. Michigan State Spartans

The Virginia Cavaliers rank first nationally in allowing just 55.5 points per game, which is important to consider when making your college basketball picks Friday, as they prepare to take on the Michigan State Spartans at Madison Square Garden.

Sports bettors will find that the Cavaliers are two-point underdogs in the NCAA basketball odds, with the betting total sitting at 127 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at this Sweet 16 matchup from a betting perspective while offering up a prediction along the way.

Gambling stats courtesy of SBR Forum 

Virginia Cavaliers

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The Virginia Cavaliers have won five games in a row, including a pair of victories over Coastal Carolina and Memphis last week.

College basketball handicappers will find that the Cavaliers are 16-5-2 against the spread in their last 23 games. 

Michigan State Spartans

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The Michigan State Spartans are making their 12th trip to the Sweet 16 in the last 17 seasons, and they'll look to improve upon their 7-4 straight-up record in this round under head coach Tom Izzo.

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Spartans have covered the number in both of their opportunities as neutral-court favorites of three or fewer points. 

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Virginia Cavaliers as one of their Sweet 16 picks, as they've gone 4-1 against the spread as underdogs during the 2013-14 college basketball season.

Pick: Virginia Cavaliers +2

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