by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Feb 17, 2023
Time: Noon ET
Venue: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
Where to watch: ESPN2
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Odds not yet released
FanDuel: Odds not yet released
BetMGM: Odds not yet released
Caesars: Odds not yet released
Season record
Notre Dame: 10-16 (2-13 ACC)
No. 7 Virginia: 20-4 (12-3 ACC)
February is here and the college basketball season is taking full shape. Conference races still to be determined, the top 25 completely in shambles for what seems like every week, and there's bound to be an upset what seems like every single week. But as the season continues to progress with what seems like exciting action every week, you know our champion handicappers continue to put the work in each and every week to not only make money for them, but to ensure you get money in your pocket. All you need to do is look at the last 30 days. Scott Rickenbach has reeled in a net profit of $14,000 with a 24-9-0 run on the college hardwood. Team Del Genio has killed it with a 13-1-0 run at +$11,900. Will Rogers (28-15-0) and Matt Fargo (40-27-0) have also seen five figures over the last 30 days with college basketball. Surely, you want to get on this winning as well. All you need to do is go to bigal.com, check out our Best Bets page and make sure you are following along on the action. March will be here before you know it! Take advantage of our best best plays and find out what our champion handicappers are doing at bigal.com!
Notre Dame - Virginia preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Notre Dame: lost four straight; lost 68-64 at Duke
Virginia: won three straight; won 61-58 at Louisville
A wide discrepancy game in the ACC on Saturday when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville. In the narrow lens, this really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things for either team. But if Virginia wants to keep its pace over Pittsburgh and Miami in the ACC, they need to continue to run the table.
And as far as everything goes for the No. 7 Cavaliers, they're in need of a much better performance than what this three-game winning streak has presented them. Virginia is coming off a 61-58 win over the lowly Louisville Cardinals on Wednesday, in Louisville, in what might have turned into the biggest scare of the season for the Cavs.
This Louisville team has won a grand total of 3 games and nearly pulled off the upset, but of course you can only keep Virginia down for so long. Armaan Franklin led the way with 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting, and four starters scored in double figures. You'd like to think 61 points is enough for Virginia to make a win, and of course it is with Tony Bennett's group. Virginia held Louisville to 42 percent shooting, so clearly enough to handle a 3-win team.
Virginia is never going to be a team that scares the opposition with its offense. Franklin leads the team in scoring at just under 13 points per game. You can rely on defense, but it'll only get you so far. Hence why they were knocked out by a 16 seed, and then followed that with a national championship not too long ago.
If Virginia wants to be taken seriously, they need to run the table the rest of the way and win the conference tournament. Doing that requires beating teams like Notre Dame, who are losing their coach next season and are a 10-win team while generating only two in conference play. Not sure if that's a by-product of how good the ACC is, or how bad Notre Dame is. Nate Laszweski is doing all he can by averaging 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds, but there's no one else contributing when this group needs to. Hence why they've lost four straight and are giving up 72.5 points per game.
Virginia won six straight before Notre Dame took the only meeting last year on Jan. 29, but it was only by 4 and Notre Dame was a 3-point favorite. Expect a much different style of spread this time around.
Prediction
Virginia can feast on these teams that don't have a lot going for them, but at the same time, watching how Louisville hung around last week has to put some fear in what could happen. It's also hard to beat Virginia at home, so that should play a factor. Virginia 78, Notre Dame 64
A wide discrepancy game in the ACC on Saturday when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville. In the narrow lens, this really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things for either team. But if Virginia wants to keep its pace over Pittsburgh and Miami in the ACC, they need to continue to run the table.
And as far as everything goes for the No. 7 Cavaliers, they're in need of a much better performance than what this three-game winning streak has presented them. Virginia is coming off a 61-58 win over the lowly Louisville Cardinals on Wednesday, in Louisville, in what might have turned into the biggest scare of the season for the Cavs.
This Louisville team has won a grand total of 3 games and nearly pulled off the upset, but of course you can only keep Virginia down for so long. Armaan Franklin led the way with 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting, and four starters scored in double figures. You'd like to think 61 points is enough for Virginia to make a win, and of course it is with Tony Bennett's group. Virginia held Louisville to 42 percent shooting, so clearly enough to handle a 3-win team.
Virginia is never going to be a team that scares the opposition with its offense. Franklin leads the team in scoring at just under 13 points per game. You can rely on defense, but it'll only get you so far. Hence why they were knocked out by a 16 seed, and then followed that with a national championship not too long ago.
If Virginia wants to be taken seriously, they need to run the table the rest of the way and win the conference tournament. Doing that requires beating teams like Notre Dame, who are losing their coach next season and are a 10-win team while generating only two in conference play. Not sure if that's a by-product of how good the ACC is, or how bad Notre Dame is. Nate Laszweski is doing all he can by averaging 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds, but there's no one else contributing when this group needs to. Hence why they've lost four straight and are giving up 72.5 points per game.
Virginia won six straight before Notre Dame took the only meeting last year on Jan. 29, but it was only by 4 and Notre Dame was a 3-point favorite. Expect a much different style of spread this time around.
Prediction
Virginia can feast on these teams that don't have a lot going for them, but at the same time, watching how Louisville hung around last week has to put some fear in what could happen. It's also hard to beat Virginia at home, so that should play a factor. Virginia 78, Notre Dame 64
Betting trends
Notre Dame is 6-19 ATS this season; 36-49 ATS the last 3 seasons.
Notre Dame is 56-87 ATS off a road loss since 1997.
Virginia is 29-34 ATS as a favorite the last 3 seasons.
Projected starting lineup
Notre Dame:
PG: Marcus Hammond
SG: Cormac Ryan
SF: Dane Goodwin
PF: Ven-Allen Lubin
C: Nate Laszweski
Virginia:
PG: Kihei Clark
SG: Reece Beekman
SF: Armaan Franklin
PF: Jayden Gardner
C: Ben Vander Plas
Injury report
Notre Dame: Dom Campbell (Achilles, out)
Virginia: None
Notre Dame: Dom Campbell (Achilles, out)
Virginia: None
Statistical leaders
Notre Dame:
Points: Nate Laszewski -- 14.5
Rebounds: Nate Laszweski -- 7.1
Assists: Trey Wertz -- 3.0
Virginia:
Points: Armaan Franklin -- 12.8
Rebounds: Jayden Gardner -- 4.9
Assists: Kihei Clark -- 5.9
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Virginia Cavaliers prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
