ESPN will feature a blockbuster Atlantic Coast Conference matchup as the first part of their double-header tonight. The No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers (16-3) look for their seventh straight win as they travel to New York to take on the Syracuse Orange (13-9). Check out our college basketball odds series for our Virginia-Syracuse prediction and pick.

The Virginia Cavaliers have made their way up the rankings an are now the sixth-ranked team in the nation. Their last loss came at Pitt at the start of the month and the Cavaliers have won six straight since then. They're second in the ACC and only trail leading Clemson by 1.5 games. With a relatively light schedule coming up, Virginia will look to win this game against Syracuse and avoid losing their ranking.

The Syracuse Orange are wedged in the middle of the ACC standings in the nine spot. They've lost their last two games in hard-fought battles against opponents North Carolina and Virginia Tech. They were able to keep those games close throughout, but failed to stop the opposing offenses in the final 2 minutes. At 6-5 in conference play, the Orange will hope to avoid .500 in their league and notch what would be an impressive upset win over No. 6 Virginia.

Here are the Virginia-Syracuse college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: Virginia-Syracuse Odds

Virginia: -5.5 (-102)

Syracuse: +5.5 (-120)

Over: 132.5 (-110)

Under: 132.5 (-110)

How To Watch Virginia vs. Syracuse

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN App, fuboTV

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Virginia Could Cover The Spread

The Virginia Cavaliers are making their case for yet another No. 1 seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Their last dominant win over Boston College saw their ranking improve by one spot, so they'll want to win this one convincingly to continue pleasing the AP ranking committee. They're led by an exciting group of players headlined by guard Armaan Franklin. He's leading the team with 13.1 PPG and is a smart player with the basketball in his hands. As a team, the Cavaliers rarely turn the ball over and are usually strong in transition defense when doing so.

Virginia will be the favorited team in this one, a spot where they've gone 14-2 overall. They're not stellar at covering the spread at only 8-11, but they do enough to get tough wins no matter what the odds indicate. Look for guard Kihei Clark to get his teammates involved in this one. Shooting on the rims in the JMA Wireless Dome is never an easy task, but Tony Bennett-led teams have had success in this building before. Look for Virginia to try and shoot the Orange out of this game early.

Why Syracuse Could Cover The Spread

While Syracuse hasn't been having the best season overall, they've managed to remain a stiff test for opponents, especially when playing in their home dome. They have a tall, speedy lineup led by Jesse Edwards in the paint. The guard play of Joseph Girard has proven to be key for Syracuse as they often go as far as the senior will take them. They'll need to do a better job of passing the ball and moving without it to open up shots against a tough Virginia defense.

Syracuse is 12-10 ATS on the season. They cover more often at home than on the road and are able to keep games within reach on their home court. They'll have to be perfect in the final 10 minutes of this game to knock off Virginia. Their shooting numbers are fairly good, 47% from the field and 37% from three. While they like to look for the high-percentage bucket first, they'll have to score every opportunity they get if they want to upset the Cavaliers.

Final Virginia-Syracuse Prediction & Pick

Virginia is reeling and may be too much for Syracuse in this one. While Syracuse has been putting up a fight in their losses, Virginia is too complete of a team to blow any leads they may have late in the game. Look for the Cavaliers to cover the spread.

Final Virginia-Syracuse Prediction & Pick: Virginia Cavaliers -5.5 (-102)