The 11-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies (23-12) take on the six-seeded Texas Longhorns (21-11) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. Virginia Tech returns to the Big Dance for the fifth season in a row and 13th in school history, while Texas makes its 33rd appearance in the tournament.
Friday’s tipoff is at 4:30 p.m. EST inside the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI. The game will be broadcasted on TBS. Texas is a 1-point favorite over VT, and the over-under total is at 123.5 points.
What to Know – #11 Virginia Tech
The Hokies put it all together in the ACC Tournament, winning four-straight games to claim the team’s first conference tournament title. Virginia Tech finished the regular season in seventh place in the ACC standings. The Hokies are ranked 22nd in the KenPom and 27th in the NCAA NET rankings.
On offense, Virginia Tech scores 70.7 points per game, connecting on 47.1% of its shots from the field and 39.3% from the 3-point line. The Hokies’ defense limits opponents to 62.3 points per game, 42.9% shooting from the floor, and 31.7% from the arc.
Second-Team All-ACC selection Keve Aluma led the Hokies on offense scoring 15.8 points per game. Justyn Mutts (10.1 ppg) and Hunter Cattoor (10.0 ppg) provide additional options on the offensive end for VT.
Virginia Tech is 19-16 against the spread this season with a 4-3 record ATS on a neutral court. The Hokies are 5-2 ATS in their last seven contests.
What to Know – #6 Texas Longhorns
Texas stumbles into the tournament on a three-game losing skid that includes its final two games of the regular season and quick exit from the Big 12 Tournament. The Longhorns finished the regular season in fourth place in the conference. Texas ranks 15th in the KenPom and 16th in the NET.
The Longhorns averaged 68.3 points per game on offense, hitting 44.2% of their shots from the floor and 32.3% from deep. Texas’ defense held opponents to 59.6 points per game, 41.3% shooting from the field, and 31.8% from three.
Timmy Allen hit over 50% of his shots from the field, leading the Longhorns in scoring, pouring in 12.3 points per game. Texas featured a balanced offensive attack, with Marcus Carr (10.9 ppg) and Andrew Jones (10.3 ppg) also adding options on offense.
The Longhorns sport a 12-19-1 record ATS and an 0-2 mark ATS in neutral site contests. Texas is 0-5-1 ATS over its last six games.
The Pick is In
It took until the conference tournament for the Hokies to put it all together, but Virginia Tech is peaking at the right time. Virginia Tech has the talent to make a deep postseason run but will be up against one of the best defenses in the country. The key for Texas is if it can match the Hokies offensively.
Riding the momentum of an ACC Tournament title, we like the Hokies to pull out the victory in the opening round Friday and the Longhorns back to Austin.
The Pick: Virginia Tech Hokies +1
