Defense Will be Primo in ACC Battle

The 2016-17 ACC Basketball schedule kicks off with a great primetime matchup as the Virginia Cavaliers and the Louisville Cardinals meet at KFC Yum! Center. The 12th ranked Cavaliers will depend on it’s top defensive squad to slow down a potent offense for the 6th-ranked Cardinals. The Cardinals boast the best defensive efficiency rating in the nation. This according to Ken Pomeroy’s advanced metrics .  Virginia leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 47.2 points per game, and are second in field goal percentage defense (34 percent). The Cavaliers are No. 2 in Ken Pomeroy’s defensive rankings. Virginia is among the slowest-paced teams in the nation. Scoring will come at a premium. Oddsmakers currently have the Cardinals listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Cavaliers, while the game’s total is sitting at 118. When Louisville and Virginia meet it is typically a grind. The Cardinals and Cavaliers, locked into a home-and-home series per ACC rivalry pairings when Louisville entered the league two years ago. They have played four times the last two seasons. Average score? Virginia 60, Louisville 50. The last time either team scored 75 points in the series was an 98-81 Virginia win in 1983. Last time out for Louisville, they were a 73-70 winner as they battled the Kentucky Wildcats at home. They covered in the match as a +1.5-point underdog. In their last action, Virginia was a 56-52 winner on the road against California Golden Bears. They covered the -2.5-point spread as favorites.

ACC Basketball Stats and Matchups

Virginia: Team record: 10-1 SU,7-3 ATS Current Streak: won 3 straight games. Virginia is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games Virginia is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games The Cavs 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games on the road Louisville: Team record: 11-1 SU,8-2 ATS Current Streak: won 6 straight games. Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home Next up: Virginia home to Florida State Saturday, December 31 Louisville at Indiana Saturday, December 31 Get all of your College Basketball Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook.