The No. 7 Virginia Cavaliers look to continue their series dominance and earn a season sweep over the Syracuse Orange when they meet in a key Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Monday. The Cavaliers (16-3), who are second in the ACC at 8-2 in league play, have beaten Syracuse in eight of the past nine meetings, including a 73-66 decision on Jan. 7. They have not lost at Syracuse since 2017. The Orange (13-9), who are tied with Wake Forest for eighth in the ACC, have lost two in a row and three of four. Virginia holds a 12-6 edge over Syracuse in the all-time series, which began in 1984.
The game from the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York, will tip off at 7 p.m. ET. Virginia is averaging 70.6 points per game, while Syracuse averages 75.0. The Cavaliers are 5-point favorites in the latest Virginia vs. Syracuse odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 132.5. Before locking in any Syracuse vs. Virginia picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 13 of the season 50-29 on all-top rated college basketball picks, returning more than $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UVA vs. Syracuse and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Syracuse vs. UVA:
- Virginia vs. Syracuse spread: Virginia -5
- Virginia vs. Syracuse over/under: 132.5 points
- Virginia vs. Syracuse money line: Virginia -225, Syracuse +185
- UVA: The Cavaliers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games
- SYR: The Orange are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against a team with a winning % above .600
- Virginia vs. Syracuse picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Virginia can cover
Senior forward Jayden Gardner is one of six Cavaliers averaging 7.1 points per game or better. He is coming off a solid performance in Saturday's win over Boston College with 18 points and six rebounds as Virginia pulled away in the second half. He scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds in the first matchup with the Orange. For the season, Gardner is averaging 10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. For his career, which began at East Carolina, he is averaging 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Junior guard Reece Beekman continues to make his mark on defense, and is tied for the team lead in steals with 25. He registered five steals in a 65-58 win over North Carolina on Jan. 10. In the Jan. 7 win over Syracuse, Beekman scored 13 points, while dishing out seven assists and making two steals. For the season, he is averaging 9.9 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
Why Syracuse can cover
The Orange have three players averaging double-figure scoring, led by senior guard Joseph Girard III. Girard is averaging 17 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He poured in 19 points in the first matchup against Virginia on Jan. 7, while grabbing three rebounds, dishing out two assists and registering two steals. He scored a season-high 31 points in a 74-71 overtime win over Richmond on Nov. 21, and had 28 twice -- at Louisville on Jan. 3 and at Georgia Tech on Jan. 21.
Freshman guard Judah Mintz has made an immediate impact on the Orange lineup. He is averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 assists, 2.4 rebounds and two steals per game. Mintz is coming off a 21-point, eight-assist performance in Saturday's loss at Virginia Tech. In the first meeting with Virginia, he poured in 18 points, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.
How to make Syracuse vs. Virginia picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 139 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins UVA vs. Syracuse? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
