College Basketball Tip : Virginia at Miami

• 22 February 2016

HRWager’s college basketball tip for 2/22 is on the key ACC matchup of the night.  Virginia along with Miami and Louisville are all crammed together one game back of North Carolina.  The winner here might finally have some breathing room for second place in the ACC.  With the home Hurricanes being the slimmest of home favorites, which way will HRWager implore you to invest in tonight’s banner basketball game?

College Basketball Tip : Effective Defense

The one constant that good teams can rely on is strong defense.  Virginia (21-5) has held almost everyone in check with a paltry 59.5 points allowed per game.  This includes the Hurricanes (21-5) as the Cavs beat them in Virginia this season 66-58.  The key in the first matchup was perimeter defense.  Miami shot a season worse 27 percent from beyond the arc.  Without this plethora of three points, where will the production come from for Miami?

 

Rest

Virginia has it and Miami does not.  Cavaliers have been resting for almost a week since they beat NC State handily.  Miami has barely had time to lick their wounds after being crushed by North Carolina 96-71.  Their team defense was not even present in a game where they could have caught up to the leader of the ACC.  Newton had to leave the game with a bruise to his shin bone.

Questionable for the game is Ja’Quan Newton.  Even if he makes a go of it, his range and speed will be limited.  With the Hurricanes playing so soft, it is straight forward to see that the linesmakers are wrong.  Miami has won 11 straight at home but Virginia’s defense is the constant in this game.  Go with the best unit on the floor and take the +1 Virginia for HRWager’s College Basketball Tip of the Day.  Good fortune and we will see you later on here at the HRW.