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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Virginia-Pitt prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Virginia-Pitt.
The Monday night schedule in college basketball is light. This is the ACC showcase on the slate. The Virginia Cavaliers are having a rough go of it this season, and it's actually very predictable. Longtime coach Tony Bennett stepped away just before the season began, handing over the team to assistant Ron Sanchez. Bennett could have made his decision in April and allowed for a full-on coaching search, or for Sanchez to have a full offseason to prepare and possibly make transfer portal adjustments, but the late timing of the decision put the program and Sanchez in a bind. This was not thought through as carefully or as wisely as it could have or should have been. Virginia has labored through the season with not only an inadequate roster, but a group of players who — entering October, one month before the season began — were expecting that Bennett would coach them through the coming season. Not having that familiarity obviously hurt this team. Virginia will likely conduct a full coaching search in the coming offseason and try to make a fresh start after the end of the Bennett era, which was resoundingly successful through 2019 but really lost steam a few years ago.
Pittsburgh is pursuing an NCAA Tournament berth. The Panthers are not a lock, but they have a decent chance of getting into the field. The general consensus in terms of bracketology entering the past weekend was that Pitt was one of the last four teams in the Round of 64, barely avoiding the First Four in Dayton. Pitt then lost to fellow bubble team Wake Forest. Pitt might be a First Four team right now, and Wake is probably on the border between “first four out” and “next four out.”
It is therefore reasonable to conclude that Pitt is in a decent position for an NCAA Tournament bid, but is also not in an especially comfortable position. Pittsburgh doesn't have much margin for error. If Pitt loses at home to UVA, it will likely be out of the bracket projections later this week.
Here are the Virginia-Pitt College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Virginia-Pitt Odds
Virginia: +12.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +610
Pitt: -12.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -950
Over: 131.5 (-115)
Under: 131.5 (-105)
How to Watch Virginia vs Pitt
Time: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Virginia Will Cover The Spread/Win
The spread is large. Virginia did not win this past Saturday, but it lost by only one point to Virginia Tech. This Virginia team is still competing hard. It is not carrying itself like a team which has mailed it in for the rest of the season and is merely drifting through the motions. No, UVA is still giving it a go. The Cavaliers are not going to let go of the cord if they trail by 10-12 points late in regulation. They will keep battling, and that might enable them to cover the spread. Pitt has not been especially strong or impressive in recent weeks. The Panthers are a decent team, but not an especially imposing one.
Why Pitt Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Panthers are much, much better than Virginia. They are playing at home. They are coming off a frustrating loss and will therefore be highly motivated to play well. Pitt knows it is very much on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. Everyone in that Pittsburgh locker room is aware of the situation and will want to immediately do something about it. Pitt lost on Saturday. Being able to come back to the court Monday, not later in the week, is probably the best thing this team could want. Pitt will be sharp and will play well enough to blow the doors off this game.
Final Virginia-Pitt Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Pitt, but the spread is large and this is a game both teams will play with relatively little rest. Maybe wait for a live play here.
Final Virginia-Pitt Prediction & Pick: Pitt -12.5
