Furman vs. Virginia Predictions, Odds & Picks: Paladins Looking for Upset in March Madness

The Furman Paladins earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Southern Conference. They will be tasked with deciphering the defense of the Virginia Cavaliers in the first round. Here is our best Furman vs. Virginia prediction based on the top NCAAB odds.

The Paladins enter the NCAA Tournament with the 11th-highest scoring offense in the country. They averaged over 80 points per game this season on their way to the SoCon regular season and tournament title. Leading scorer Mike Bothwell is averaging 18 points per game this season.

The Cavaliers enter the tournament after earning a share of the ACC regular-season title. They advanced to the ACC championship game before losing to the Duke Blue Devils by a score of 59-49. They shot just 33.3% from the field in that game.

Here is our best Furman vs. Virginia prediction (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Furman vs. Virginia odds

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets

This is a game of clashing styles. The Paladins want to get out and run, while the Cavaliers want to slow you down and make you take game possession by possession. When such opposing styles meet in the NCAA Tournament, the better team normally enforces its will. On Thursday, the Cavs will be the better team.

Many believe that this is a prime upset spot because the Cavaliers struggle to score, but we disagree. While the low-scoring nature of the Cavs’ offense allows teams to hang around, their defense is among the best in the country for a reason.

Building a March Madness brackethow to fill out a March Madness bracket and tail our experts' March Madness bracket predictions. Then, test your skills in these free March Madness bracket challenges.

The Cavaliers have held five straight opponents to 60 points or fewer. This season, they have held 17 of their 32 opponents to 60 or fewer, and they have not allowed a single team to score 80 points against them. In other words, you can throw out the Paladins’ season average for this game.

The Paladins could potentially cover the spread in this game, but there is also the chance that the Cavaliers get hot against a bad defense. Rather than taking the spread, we suggest you take the Cavaliers to do what they have done all season: frustrate an opposing offense.

Furman vs. Virginia best odds

DraftKings (-110)

March Madness odds and all of our March Madness picks and betting trends.

Just three of the five major sportsbooks are offering a team total for Furman at the moment. Both BetMGM and PointsBet will likely add a line on Wednesday, so keep an eye on that number when it comes out.

DraftKings is currently offering the best price for Under 63.5, but there is no rush on getting in on this number. We’d be happy to take this as low as 61.5. Wait for the other sportsbooks to put out lines, and see what kind of price you can get from them before wagering.

Furman vs. Virginia odds analysis

The Cavaliers opened as 5.5-point favorites, and there has been no movement. Bettors are split right down the middle, with 51% of wagers coming in on the Cavaliers and 49% backing the Paladins. There is likely to be minimal movement ahead of Thursday’s game.

This number opened at 132.5, and there has been some movement across the five major sportsbooks. BetMGM still has the line where it opened, but Caesars and DraftKings dropped the number to 132, while FanDuel and PointsBet dropped it to 131.5. At this time, 51% of bettors are backing the Under.

Furman vs. Virginia game info

• Date: Thursday, March 16, 12:40 p.m. ET
• TV: truTV
• Location: Amway Center, Orlando, FL

Furman vs. Virginia pick made 03/14/2023 at 10:31 a.m. ET.

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.