No. 17 Virginia Cavaliers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Thursday, 1/19/12, 8:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN3
Opening Point Spread: Virginia -4
Current Betting Line: Virginia -4
Opening Total: 111
Current Total: 111
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Virginia concludes its two-game road trip with a contest versus Georgia Tech inside Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA, coming off a 61-58 loss to the Duke Blue Devils as 10.5-point road underdogs. Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett was very pleased with his squad’s effort and game his team two of the next three days off after that contest to recuperate. “You use the bye week to its fullest, from a rest standpoint and a preparation standpoint,” Bennett stated this week. The Cavaliers have won the last four meetings and five of six in this particular series. Virginia is 3-0 ATS on the road this season.
The Cavaliers are led offensively by the play of senior forward Mike Scott, who is currently averaging a team-high 16.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He led the squad with 23 points and nine rebounds in its loss against the Blue Devils, as the defense allowed 60 or more points for just the second time. Both of Virginia’s losses this season have been by a single possession, and in both games the school had the final shot to win or tie the game.
Georgia Tech has dropped five of its last six games, but split its recent two-game road trip in ACC play, capturing an 82-71 win over the NC State Wolfpack before falling to the Maryland Terrapins by 11 points. The Yellow Jackets certainly know they are up against a quality opponent with a tremendous player. “Scott has done an unbelievable job with the improvements he’s made as a player,” commented Yellow Jackets head coach Brian Gregory. The Yellow Jackers are second in the conference in allowing opponents to shoot just 38.2 percent from the field. Georgia Tech is 5-7 ATS on the year.
The Yellow Jackets certainly get after it on the glass, holding a +6.1 rebounding edge for the season and +5.0 in conference games. Offensively, the team is scoring just 64.6 points per game, which places them 10th in the ACC in that category. It’s still important to note that the roster is hitting 45.1 percent of its shots, which is fifth-best during the early portion of ACC play. Georgia Tech has two players averaging in double figures, with junior guard Glen Rice Jr. leading the way in scoring 13.8 points per game.
Bettors will likely back the Cavaliers due to their 15-6 ATS mark in conference games, while the Yellow Jackets are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings.
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