The Virginia Cavaliers will play host to the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday afternoon. These ACC foes open conference play with their seasons heading in very different directions. Virginia, ranked third in the nation currently, are a perfect 6-0, recently besting Michigan State 70-68 on Tuesday. Florida State is just 1-8, dropping their fourth in a row against Purdue on Wednesday. The last time these schools squared off came in February, with the Seminoles edging out the Cavaliers, 64-63.
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Cavaliers Betting Odds
Odds Courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Cavaliers Match Details
Fixture: Florida State Seminoles @ Virginia Cavaliers
Date & Time: Saturday, December 3, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: John Paul Jones Arena
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Cavaliers Key Stats
Florida State has been awful offensively, averaging just 66.4 points per game entering Saturday. They do boast four double-digit scorers, but they don't take or make a ton of threes as a team, which hasn't helped. They didn't get demolished by a much better Purdue squad previously, committing just seven turnovers, but again shooting under 40% for the fourth time this year. Junior guard Cam'Ron Fletcher has shown a ton of improvement from last year, and their other junior guard, Caleb Mills, has been a pest on defense in addition to his 12.3 points and 3.1 assists. Their lone win came against a weak Marist side, but maybe they can wake up against a conference opponent today, despite being massive underdogs.
Virginia's offense has been solid, and they've been on fire from three this year, currently ranking third in the nation with a 45.2% clip. Guards Armaan Franklin and Reece Beekman have been excellent, and at the moment, they're tied for leading scorer at 11.8 PPG. While the Cavaliers don't have one go-to guy to take over games, most of the roster is very efficient, collectively shooting 50% from the field. Defensively is where Virginia separates themselves, and they've once again been elite on this side of the ball. They allow just 59.3 points per contest while allowing just 6.5 offensive rebounds, and they'll look to make Florida State work for every bucket this afternoon.
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Cavaliers Betting Prediction
As dominant as Virginia has been, the underdog has covered four of the previous five times when these two schools have faced off. Florida State is just 2-7 ATS, but Virginia has failed to cover their past two games. Expect the Seminoles to fight hard, and while the Cavaliers should comfortably win, the visitors should finish within 19 points.