Account
ACC Tournament 2021: Betting Tips for Quarterfinal Odds, Spreads, Over-Under
March 11, 2021
The ACC tournament is the most important Power Five conference competition in regards to the NCAA men's basketball tournament bubble.
On Thursday, the Syracuse Orange and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will try to solidify their places in the field of 68. The Duke Blue Devils were looking attempt to push back toward the conversation, but the ACC announced their game with Florida State was cancelled after a Duke player tested positive for COVID-19.
Syracuse opens the four-game quarterfinal slate against the Virginia Cavaliers in what could be a frustrating game for both offenses.
Georgia Tech should have the easiest task of the bubble trio, as it plays the 13th-seeded Miami Hurricanes, who took advantage of a few favorable matchups to win twice at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The nightcap between the Virginia Tech Hokies and North Carolina Tar Heels will not have any affect on the bubble, but it could play a role in their NCAA tournament seeding.
ACC Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
No. 1 Virginia (-5.5) vs. No. 8 Syracuse (O/U: 133) (Noon ET, ESPN2)
No. 4 Georgia Tech (-9.5) vs. No. 13 Miami (O/U: 138.5) (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
No. 3 Virginia Tech vs. No. 6 North Carolina (-4) (O/U: 140) (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Betting Tips
Virginia vs. Syracuse (Under 133)
Thursday's opener between Virginia and Syracuse could be a defensive stalemate between the Cavaliers' pack line defense and the zone of the Orange.
Syracuse needs to show more defensive discipline to keep its NCAA tournament hopes alive. ESPN's Joe Lunardi listed the Orange as the last team in on Wednesday night.
Jim Boeheim's team reached that status thanks to its win over the NC State Wolfpack and the Xavier Musketeers' loss in the Big East tournament.
Life on the bubble could be a precarious situation for Syracuse in the coming days if it fails to score against Virginia.
The Cavaliers held the Orange to 58 points in their lone regular-season meeting on January 25. That game featured 139 points, but the total was high for the typical Virginia game.
Tony Bennett's team averages 68.5 points per game and concedes 60.1 points per game. If those totals are applied to Thursday's over/under, the under appears to be a good call.
Since the Cavaliers put up 81 points on Syracuse, they have scored more than 70 points on a single occasion and had seven of their 10 games go under 130 total points.
Syracuse's offense has been more efficient, but it did struggle in its last contest against a top defense. It beat the Clemson Tigers 64-54 in its regular-season finale.
If Virginia shuts down Syracuse's outside shooting, we could be in for a slow-paced affair. The Orange shot 48.3 percent from three-point range on Wednesday, but they only made five shots from deep in their loss to Virginia.
The Cavaliers won the rebounding battle by 13, recorded 13 more assists and shot almost 12 percent better from the field on January 25.
If we see similar defensive totals posted by Virginia and its offense plays at the pace it has recently, the quarterfinal clash could finish in the 60s.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).
21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.