The Virginia Tech Hokies take on the Clemson Tigers. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Virginia Tech Clemson prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Virginia Tech Clemson.
The Virginia Tech Hokies are reeling, falling to 1-6 in the ACC one season after winning the ACC Tournament. What has happened to coach Mike Young's team? The answer is not that complicated: The Hokies really depend on Hunter Cattoor, and he has been injured for a significant portion of the season, including the ACC slate and most of the month of January.
Cattoor is a reliable 3-point marksman who spreads the floor and makes it hard for opponents to pack the paint and devote attention to everyone else on the floor. Cattoor enables so much of Virginia Tech's halfcourt offense to flow when he is healthy and shooting well. His teammates have so much more freedom and open space. Without him, everything bogs down, and the natural gifts of other Hokie players just don't have the same ability to shine through. That's the equation. You will notice below that the oddsmakers don't see a large difference between these teams and that Virginia Tech is not a heavy underdog, even though the Hokies are 1-6 in the ACC and Clemson is 7-1, in first place in the conference.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Virginia Tech-Clemson College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Virginia Tech-Clemson Odds
Virginia Tech Hokies: +1.5 (-110)
Clemson Tigers: -1.5 (-110)
Over: 140.5 (-110)
Under: 140.5 (-110)
How To Watch Virginia Tech vs. Clemson
TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET, 3:00 p.m. PT
*Watch Virginia Tech-Clemson LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Virginia Tech Could Cover the Spread
This is a bounce-back opportunity for the Hokies on a number of levels. First of all, you might wonder — as we noted above — why this game is very close to a pick'em, with a very small point spread, despite Tech being near the bottom of the ACC standings and Clemson being in first place, playing this game at home in Littlejohn Coliseum. It's simple: Virginia Tech has Hunter Cattoor back in its lineup. With Cattoor, Virginia Tech becomes a significantly different team. Virginia Tech becomes a team which can do damage in the ACC. Clemson is a good team, but the Tigers are not dominant. They win close games and manage to make a handful of key plays each game. This is not 2009 North Carolina, one of the great ACC teams of all time. The gap between these two teams is indeed small. Clemson won a close, contested game at Virginia Tech several weeks ago when Cattoor was not available. It's actually not that complicated to see why this game has such a close spread. With Cattoor back in the mix, of course the Hokies can win. It wouldn't even be a shock. Don't look solely at team records.
Why Clemson Could Cover the Spread
The Tigers are a better team than Virginia Tech, even if you account for what Hunter Cattoor brings to the table. It's not as though Cattoor is a superstar player. He is a difference-maker, but not on that elevated level. Clemson is at home, where it regularly plays well. Virginia Tech has not shown an ability to finish off tough road wins. It has lost at Boston College and Wake Forest, among other ACC venues, this season. Clemson deserves the benefit of the doubt here.
Final Virginia Tech-Clemson Prediction & Pick
Stay away from this game. Virginia Tech is bound to play well at some point, but we don't know when. Just sit back and enjoy this one.
Final Virginia Tech-Clemson Prediction & Pick: Clemson -1.5
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