A pair of Atlantic Coast Conference opponents battle it out for a chance at the regular season conference title when the #16 Miami Hurricanes (23-6, 16-5 ACC) and #25 Pittsburgh Panthers (21-9, 14-5 ACC) hit the floor.
The two teams, along with Virginia, are in a three-way tie atop the conference standings.
Saturday’s ACC battle tips off at 6 p.m. EST inside the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Miami is a 6.5-point favorite, while the over/under total is 154.5 points.
What to Know – #25 Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh hopes to rebound on Saturday after a mid-week defeat on the road against Notre Dame. With a win, the Panthers can claim at least a share of the ACC title for the first time since joining the conference in 2013. Current projects have the Panthers as a 10-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Panthers are fifth in the league in scoring, pouring in 75.9 points per game behind 45.0% shooting from the field and 35.8% from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Panthers are fourth in the ACC, surrendering 69.0 ppg, 41.7% shooting from the floor, and 32.9% from the 3-point line.
Junior forward Blake Hinson (15.8 ppg) and senior guard Jamarius Burton (15.6 ppg) pace the Panthers in scoring. Burton is coming off a 19-point effort in Wednesday’s loss to the Irish.
Pittsburgh owns an impressive 20-9-1 against the spread this season with a mark of a 9-2 ATS on the road. The Panthers are only 4-10 ATS over their previous 14 matchups against Miami.
What to Know – #16 Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are also coming off a loss earlier in the week and looking for a rebound victory to close the regular season schedule. Like Pittsburgh, a win for Miami guarantees a share of the ACC title for the first time since 2013. In most NCAA Tournament projects, the models have Miami as a five-seed.
Miami owns the highest-scoring offense in the league, averaging 79.7 ppg, hitting 48.6% from the floor and 36.9% from three. The Hurricanes rank ninth in the conference holding opponents to 71.6 ppg, 41.7% shooting from the field, and 32.9% from deep.
Four players for the Hurricanes average between 13.6 and 16.2 ppg. For Miami, the pack leader is junior guard Isaiah Wong, a 45.1% shooter from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc.
The Hurricanes are 17-11-1 ATS this year and 8-8 ATS inside the Watsco Center. Miami has covered the spread in six of its last eight contests.
The Pick is In
Miami knocked off Pittsburgh earlier this season in Pennsylvania, and Pitt has dropped its last two road tests. We like Miami to get the job done at home and lock up at least a share of the ACC regular season title.
The Pick: #16 Miami Hurricanes -6.5
