The Virginia Tech and the Florida Gators will lock horns in the first round of the 2021 March Madness this coming Friday. Which side are you picking to win? Check out our preview along with our pick to win and final score prediction below.
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Betting Preview for the Virginia Tech Hokies vs Florida Gators NCAA College Basketball Game on March 19 2021
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
When: Friday, March 19, 2021, 12:15 PM ET
Line: Virginia Tech Hokies (+1) vs. Florida Gators (-1) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Virginia Tech Hokies (+1)
Record: 15-6 Overall / 9-4 Conference
Virginia Tech flunked out of the ACC tournament after losing to the North Carolina Tar Heels on Mar. 11, 81-73, but this is the same team that beat the Villanova Wildcats early in the season in a neutral setting on Nov. 28, 81-73. Not only that, but Virginia Tech also defeated the Virginia Cavaliers at home on Jan. 30, 65-51. This Hokies team can bite, as proven by those two wins over preseason favorites to go deep in the National Tournament. Virginia Tech allowed just 65.5 points per game during ACC play, third-best in the conference. Keve Aluma leads this team with 15.6 points per game, while Tyrece Radford was right behind him with 11.9 points per game on 56.0 percent shooting from the field. Aluma and Radford are highly efficient go-to scorers for this Hokies team that’s 293rd in the nation in adjusted tempo with 66.3 possessions per 40 minutes.
The under is 7-3 in Virginia Tech’s last 10 games.
Betting on the Florida Gators (-1)
Record: 14-9 Overall / 9-7 Conference
Florida’s outlook for the Big Dance would have been a whole lot better if Keyonate Johnson is available to play, but he’s not, so the Gators will be looking for Tre Mann to carry most of the load for the team. Tren Mann averaged 16.0 points on 45.3 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent from deep back in the regular season. Even though Florida lost to the Tennessee Volunteers in the SEC tournament, the Gators had posted wins over the likes of the LSU Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers, which speaks a lot about how dangerous this Florida team can be in the Big Dance. Florida hit 10 of 24 shots from deep in the loss to Tennessee, so the Gators could still be scoring hot from deep when they meet the Hokies in the first round. Florida should not also be bothered by Virginia Tech’s slow pace, as the Gators are 165th in the nation with 68.7 possessions per 40 minutes.
Florida is 5-4-1 against the spread in its last 10 games in March Madness.
Writer’s Prediction
Virginia Tech wins, 71-68.
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