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Zion Williamson Props for Sweet 16: Over/Under 24.5 Points vs Virginia Tech

David Golokhov

by David Golokhov in College Basketball

Updated Mar 27, 2020 · 5:44 PM PDT

Duke's Zion Williamson screaming
Duke's Zion Williamson is favored to be named Most Outstanding Player of the 2019 NCAA Tournament Final Four. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire)
  • Zion Williamson didn’t play in the regular season meeting with Virginia Tech
  • Williamson had 32 points in the Round of 32 win over Central Florida
  • Williamson averaged 22.8 points per game during the regular season

The Duke Blue Devils survived a scare in the Round of 32, edging by No. 9 Central Florida 77-76. Zion Williamson was instrumental in that win, collecting 32 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. As we get set for the Sweet 16 matchup between Duke and Virginia Tech, what type of numbers will Zion put up in this showdown?

Zion Williamson Sweet 16 Props

Prop Betting Line Over Odds Under Odds
Zion Williamson Points vs Virginia Tech In Sweet 16 24.5 -115 -115
Zion Williamson Rebounds vs Virginia Tech In Sweet 16 9 -115 -115

*All odds taken 03/26/19

The Blue Devils and Hokies met in the regular season on February 26th. The Hokies won that contest 77-72 but keep in mind that Zion Williamson didn’t play in that game and Hokies star point guard Justin Robinson was also unavailable. That’s part of why we might see more points this time around.

That was a close contest the entire way through, but the Hokies eventually pulled away in the final two minutes for the win. Although Williamson didn’t play, the Hokies had no answers for RJ Barrett or Cam Reddish, who combined for 38 points. As a team, Duke shot 50% from the field on the road, so that’s a good sign for them in the rematch.

What Will Williamson’s Point Total Look like?

Williamson has been in beast mode through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. He scored 25 points on 12-of-16 shooting in the opening round and that could have been higher as he missed his only two free throw attempts. In the Round of 32, he hit 12-of-24 shots for 32 points.

When you think of his matchup against Virginia Tech, it’s hard to envision him having a tougher time than what he had to deal with against Central Florida. Tacko Fall proved to be a big handful for Williamson, but he still found his way to 32 points.

Zion Williamson Regular Season vs NCAA Tournament Stats Comparison

Reg Season
VS
Tournament
22.5 Points 28.5
8.8 Rebounds 7.0
2.1 Assists 2.0

The Hokies finished the season 19th in the country, according to the KenPom defensive efficiency ratings. UCF threw a wrinkle into the mix by putting a guard on Zion and having Fall guard the basket, but Virginia Tech doesn’t have that type of rim protector. And Duke should be more prepared if Virginia Tech employs that strategy.

Overall, I don’t think Virginia Tech will be able to handle this team with Williamson in the lineup. This was a close game without him in Blacksburg when the Hokies had home-court advantage. On a neutral site, Duke and Williamson should feast. I’d bet the over on his point total.

Pick: Over 24.5 (-115)

How Many Rebounds Will Williamson Finish With?

Another prop on the board asks us whether Williamson finishes over or under nine rebounds. So far this tournament, Williamson had 11 rebounds against Central Florida, but had just five against North Dakota State.

This is a tough one to handicap as Williamson averages 8.8 on the season. However, his recent history tells us that under is probably the better bet. In his last 14 games, Williamson has collected 10 or more rebounds just five times. With that in mind, I would bet the under.

Pick: Under 9 (-115)

 

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