NC State vs Virginia Basketball Prediction, Odds and Picks - Jan. 24 | College Basketball Season 2023-24

Two NCAA tournament hopefuls will face up in a matchup of historical ACC powers, as 13-5 NC State travels to 13-5 Virginia on Wednesday in a game that could propel the winner into second place in the ACC.

While North Carolina State has yet to lose a league game, every other ACC team has a pair of conference losses, which leaves 5-2 NC State and 4-3 Virginia very much in the heat of the conference race. In a game that figures to be a defensive slugfest, both teams should be locked in.

The Wolfpack are looking to rebound from a tough 84-78 loss to Virginia Tech. With four double-digit scorers, NC State is one of the most balanced teams in the ACC.

The Wolfpack are led by senior guard DJ Horne, who previously played at Illinois State and Arizona State. He averages 15.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Horne is a 43% 3-point shooter and has scored 16 or more points in NC State's last three games.

Meanwhile, Tony Bennett's Virginia Cavaliers remain focused on defense. UVA is second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 58.2 points per game. That said, when UVA struggles, it gets ugly-- all five of Virginia's losses are by 16 or more points.

UVA comes in on a two-game winning streak and is led by senior guard Reece Beekman. Beekman has scored in double figures in each of the last nine games and had 35 points in the Cavs' previous two wins.

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Virginia guard Reece Beekman will be key as UVA tries to claim a 5th conference win at home against NC State.

NC State vs. Virginia: Betting Odds

The Cavaliers are a 4.5-point home favorite, down a couple of points from the opening line. The game's over/under is at 130.5, with UVA at a -250 moneyline and NC State at +210.

NC State vs. Virginia: Head-to-Head

NC State holds the all-time series lead, 78-65. In games at Virginia, the Cavaliers hold a 38-21 advantage. Last year, the teams met once, with UVA claiming a 63-50 home win. NC State had won the previous two matchups before that.

This season, NC State bested UVA at home, winning 76-60, with Jayden Taylor and Dennis Parker Jr. scoring 15 each and Horne chipping in with 14.

NC State vs. Virginia: Where to Watch

NC State and Virginia will face off on the ACC Network, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. EST/3 p.m. PST.

NC State vs. Virginia: Best Picks and Prediction

Virginia has not lost a home game this season but hasn't played a difficult home schedule, with its best win over a then-ranked Texas A&M squad. UVA has won three one-score games and, as noted above, has only lost by blowout. UVA is 0-4 when shooting less than 40% and is 3-5 when scoring 60 or fewer points.

Meanwhile, NC State is 3-1 in true road games, already holding road wins at Louisville, Boston College and Notre Dame. Only three times has NC State failed to score 70 points, and it is 1-2 in those contests, which were also the only three games when they failed to shoot 42% overall.

Horne will be a key to this matchup, and his consistency suggests that the Wolfpack can remain competitive, even on the road. While UVA will slow the game down, the plays to make might be the over and taking NC State to cover the 4.5-point spread and possibly even win outright to sweep the season series.