Virginia Cavaliers AT Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Feb 23, 2011 at 7 PM EST
Opening Line: Ga Tech -4.5
Current Line: Ga Tech -5.5
Opening Total: 124
Current Total: 124.5
Opening Moneyline: Ga Tech -215 / Va +185
Current Moneyline: Ga Tech -240 / Va +200
This game brings together two rather mediocre ACC rivals. Both teams are at least near .500, with Virginia right at the mark at 13-13 and Georgia Tech at a within-striking distance 11-15. But neither team has been particuarly good in ACC conference play. Virginia is 4-8 in ACC play and Georgia Tech is 3-9. It ranks Virginia 8th in the Conference and sits Georgia Tech at 11th.
Both teams are near even on point differentials. Virginia’s is -0.8, playing a slow paced game, giving up 62.7 and managing to score 61.8. Georgia Tech plays slightly faster paced, and scores 68.6 a game while giving up 68.0.
Georgia Tech has lost 6 of their last 7 games, including home losses to FSU and Clemson. Virginia has lost 5 of their last 7 with victories over Clemson and Virginia Tech, offsetting the five losses.
The last time the two teams met, Virginia won by 8 points at home.
Some betting trends:
Virginia is 0-5 SU in their last 5 road games and the total has gone OVER in 4 of their last 5 on the road. Virginia is 2-12-1 ATS in their last 15 against Georgia Tech and Virginia is 3-12 SU in their last 15 road games at Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games and 1-6 SU in their last 7 games. The total has gone UNDER in 6 of their last 8 games and they are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games at home. Georgia Tech is 19-6 SU in their last 25 home games and the total has gone UNDER in 6 of their last 7 at home. The total has gone OVER In 5 of their last 6 against Virginia and Ga Tech is 1-4 SU in their last 5 against Virginia. Georgia Tech is 17-8 SU in their last 25 games against Virginia and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 against Virginia. Georgia Tech is 17-7-1 ATS in their last 25 against Virginia and 12-2-1 ATS in their last 15 games at home against Virginia. Georgia Tech is 12-3 SU in their last 15 games at home against Virginia.
Virginia is led by the trio of Mike Scott, Mustapha Farrakhan, and Joe Harris. Mike Scott, a 6’8″ senior forward, is injured and out for the season, which is a shame as he was the Cavaliers leading scorer until he went down. Assuming the role as primary scorer has been 6’4″ senior guard Mustapha Farrakhan. Farrakhan has averaged 13.2 points per game, on 36.8% shooting from three (43 of 117). He has scored in double figures in all but 7 Virginia games, and in those 7 games which he did not manage double figures Virginia is 1-6. It goes without saying then, that Farrakhan is a key component to Virginia’s success. With Scott out, he has had to take on an even larger role and peaked in that role against Howard University, when he hit 11 of 12 shots for 31 points and 8 of 9 from three point range.
Georgia Tech is led by sophomore Brian Oliver and junior Iman Shumpert, who average 11.5 and 16.6 points per game, respectively. Shumpert leads the team in rebounding too with 5.9 rebounds per game. Brian Oliver, though undersized for a big man, his strength and leaping ability enable him to be an effective big inside, while clearly lacking the size to take his game to the next level. Shumpert is having the best year of his three years at Tech so far, upping his scoring average from previous years by over 3 points a game. His field goal percentage, though, is a paltry 37.5%, in line with his percentage from previous years. He will have to up his percentage for the Yellowjackets to have any chance at all this March.
Sophomore Glen Rice Jr. doesn’t appear to have the shooting skills of his father, but should still develop into a nice player for the Yellowjackets. He is averaging the second most points per game on the team with 12.6 a game. Last year he did a better impresonation of his father, shooting 46.7% from behind the arc, but he has inexplicably struggled this year, albeit in a small sample size, going 26 of 77 behind the arc. If he can regain his touch Georgia Tech it would enable Georgia Tech to have a good shot at covering the spread.
Georgia Tech has been very bad lately, but this is the kind of game that they could turn things around in. College basketball oddsmakers certainly expect them to do so, setting the line in their favor for tonight.
