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Virginia Tech vs South Florida Picks and Odds

Jordan Horrobin

by Jordan Horrobin in College Basketball

Updated Nov 29, 2020 · 10:18 AM PST

Keve Aluma of Virginia Tech going up for a shot in a game against Villanova.
Virginia Tech's Keve Aluma, right, goes up for a shot as Villanova's Collin Gillespie, left, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, front, defend in overtime of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
  • Virginia Tech and South Florida meet in the latter half of a back-to-back on Sunday, Nov. 29 at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off in Uncasville, Conn.
  • COVID-19-related issues caused some schedule realignment at the tournament, but the Hokies and Bulls had always been scheduled for Sunday
  • Check out the odds for this game, as well as analysis and a pick, in our article below

Everyone knows that sports schedules must be fluid in these pandemic-afflicted times, and Virginia Tech saw that first-hand this weekend. But there should be no surprises for the Hokies, who are 7.5 point favorites entering Sunday’s matchup with South Florida (8 pm ET), which has been on the schedule the whole time.

We’ll break down the situation with Virginia Tech in the article below, but first let’s check out the odds in a battle between former conference foes who haven’t matched up in 25 years.

Virginia Tech vs South Florida Odds

Team Moneyline Point Spread Over/Under Total
Virginia Tech -355 -7.5 (-110) Over 128.5 (-106)
South Florida +285 +7.5 (-110) Under 128.5 (-114)

Odds taken Nov. 29 at FanDuel

Hokies’ Off-Day Plans Upended

Virginia Tech probably thought it was getting a day off, and instead it got pretty much the exact opposite.

Due to a positive COVID-19 test in the Temple men’s basketball program, the Saturday game between the Hokies and Owls was cancelled. In short order, however, Virginia Tech added a game against No. 3 Villanova, who’d just competed at the Empire Classic in Uncasville this past week.

That turned out to be a boon for the Hokies, who knocked off Villanova, 81-73, in overtime on Saturday. With nine minutes left in regulation, Villanova held a 12-point lead and had a win probability of 96 percent. But Virginia Tech stormed back for a really impressive early-season victory.

Bulls Go Cold On Saturday

South Florida isn’t entering Sunday’s game riding the same high as Virginia Tech, as the Bulls fell flat against a decent Rhode Island team.

The Bulls committed 16 turnovers and shot just 30.8 percent from three. They also let the Rams get to the free throw line 35 times, which ultimately led to their detriment.

One saving grace for the Bulls was that four players reached double figures in scoring. They have an ability to spread the ball around and find points from different players, which could help if the cold streak continues Sunday.

ATS Analysis

The Bulls have bounced back nicely coming off a loss, going 3-0-1 against the spread in their last four post-loss games. They are also an interesting trend on the under, given that the under is 7-0 in games following an ATS loss — and 8-2 following a straight-up loss.

Virginia Tech doesn’t have any strong against the spread trends right now, but the “under” trend is strong for them as well. The Hokies have seen the under hit in five of their past six neutral site games — and four of their past five Sunday games.

Respect Tech

South Florida might have vengeance on its mind after losing to Rhode Island, and it’s understandable to wonder if a “hangover” effect could be in play for Virginia Tech. But we have to respect them for a big second-half comeback over a supremely talented Villanova team and give them the ATS edge here.

Also, given that both teams have some enticing under trends of late, we’ll put our confidence in that for a possible parlay.

Pick: Virginia Tech, -7.5 (-110); Under 128.5 (-114)

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