Virginia Tech vs. Syracuse Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Tuesday, Feb. 27 (Fade Va. Tech on Road)
By Reed Wallach
Syracuse and Virginia Tech will each try to position themselves for an ACC Tounrament push on Tuesday night.
The Orange avoided a disaster on Saturday, nearly blowing a 25-plus point lead against Notre Dame on Saturday, but the team scored a home win and will look to string it together with another victory on Tuesday against a Virginia Tech team that struggles on the road.
How should we handicap this matchup? We got you covered with our best bets for Tuesday's matchup in Western New York.
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Virginia Tech vs. Syracuse Odds, Spread and Total
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech Betting Trends
- Syracuse is 11-17 against the spread (ATS) this season
- Virginia Tech is 1-9 ATS on the road this season
- Virginia Tech is 3-8 ATS as an underdog this season
Virginia Tech vs. Syracuse How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 27
- Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
- Venue: JMA Wireless Dome
- How to Watch (TV): ESPNU
- Virginia Tech Record: 15-12
- Syracuse Record: 18-10
Virginia Tech vs. Syracuse Key Players to Watch
Virginia Tech
Sean Pedulla: Syracuse's defense leads the ACC in turnover rate, which will lead to a ton of responsibility for the Va. Tech guard, who is one of the highest usage players in the ACC. Pedulla has the second highest usage rate in the league, setting up the Va. Tech 3-point heavy offense to bomb from beyond the arc. This leads to a ton of variance in the Hokies games, but Pedulla must protect the ball first.
Syracuse
Judah Mintz: Mintz has been fantastic all season on both sides of the floor. He is averaging more than two steals per game while scoring 18 points and dishing out more than four assists. He is struggling to shoot from the perimeter, but he is such a terror with the ball in his hands once he gets down hill that he can have a big game around the rim, especially against a lackluster Va. Tech defense.
Virginia Tech vs. Syracuse Prediction and Pick
Virginia Tech is second in the ACC in 3-point rate, which brings a ton of variance into its games. If the team is on from the perimeter, it's tough to keep up. If the team struggles, it likely will lose by double digits.
Take the last two games for example: Virginia Tech made eight 3s of its 23 attempts in the team's 34-point win against Virginia in a rivalry game last Monday, but the team made only 3-of-20 on the road against Pitt on Saturday in a 15-point loss.
Also in that sample is that one of those games was on the road, where Virginia Tech has been a disaster this season. The team is 352nd in Haslametrics away from home rating, winning only one game in a true road setting this season.
Syracuse's defense can turn over the Hokies offense that is 10th in ACC turnover rate, and the offense should be able to put up points around the rim, ranking 63rd in field goal percentage near the rim this season.
Further, Va. Tech is 226th in defending at the rim. Given that the team's defense doesn't generate turnovers and will allow Mintz to get inside, it's tough not to trust the home favorite to simple win this game outright.
I'll take the Orange.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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