ACC Tournament 2015: Latest Championship Odds and Predictions on Day 2

Tuesday was an enthralling start to the 2015 ACC tournament. On Wednesday, some of the big dogs start to roll out with North Carolina and N.C. State looking to make a strong statement before Selection Sunday.

Virginia Tech pulled off a mild upset over Wake Forest to make it to the second round thanks to a massive effort from Jalen Hudson. The freshman came off the bench to score a career-high 32 points, and he hit a jumper with 11.7 seconds left in the game to eliminate the Demon Deacons.

The Hokies now face a Miami team hoping to get off of the NCAA bubble with a run in the ACC tournament. Both VT and Boston College hope to keep their surprising runs going against two top-six seeds in the conference.

With the opening tip for Day 2 already taking place, here's a look at the latest odds and predictions, as well a breakdown of one of the most intriguing games.

Team	Odds
Duke	27-20
Virginia	39-20
North Carolina	13-2
Notre Dame	7-1
Louisville	29-4
N.C. State	30-1
Miami	42-1
Pittsburgh	160-1
Clemson	250-1
Florida State	280-1
Boston College	500-1
Virginia Tech	1000-1

Time (ET)	Matchup	TV	Prediction
12 p.m.	No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Florida State	ESPN	Florida State
2 p.m.	No. 5 North Carolina vs. No. 12 Boston College	ESPN	North Carolina
7 p.m.	No. 7 North Carolina State vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh	ESPN2	NC State
9 p.m.	No. 6 Miami vs. No. 14 Virginia Tech	ESPN2	Miami

No. 5 North Carolina vs. No. 12 Boston College

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Two weeks ago, this matchup would have looked like an easy blowout win for North Carolina. However, a recent stretch of great play from Boston College makes this a riveting contest.

Ironically enough, the two teams are heading in completely opposite directions. Boston College has won four straight after an abysmal season, including a victory over N.C. State. Meanwhile, UNC is 4-6 in its last 10 games with a loss to—you guessed it—the Wolfpack.

The Eagles have a bit of swagger heading into the matchup thanks to the recent great play of Olivier Hanlan and Patrick Heckmann. Heckmann spoke about the recent streak of success.

"I think believing in us now when we go into every game," Heckmann said, via Lauren Brownlow of Fox Sports. "We know we can win and we've proven that. We've shown character. And I think now everything's come together a little more and that's what's helping us."

Heckmann has been a player to watch over the last several games, but Hanlan is the unquestioned star. The junior's standout season helped him earn All-ACC First Team honors.

He didn't disappoint in the ACC tournament opener, as Jeff Fischel of the ACC Network notes:

UNC is of course led by Marcus Paige, the do-it-all point guard who paces the Tar Heels in scoring (13.5 points per game) and assists (4.4). During his lone contest against Hanlan and Boston College this season, Paige registered 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

One of the biggest reasons why he's so deadly for the Heels is his accuracy from behind the arc, as Joe Giglio of the News & Observer points out:

With two of the best guards in the conference, expect a game dominated by those two players. However, the inside-out approach that the Heels utilized in their first matchup will likely be enough to get the Heels through to the next round.

Having a presence like Brice Johnson in the paint—who had 20 points and 10 boards in their first meeting—will be the difference. The combination of Paige and Johnson will ultimately be too much for the Eagles to overcome.

Prediction: UNC 68, Boston College 63

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