Virginia vs. Syracuse prediction, odds: 2023 college basketball picks, Jan. 30 best bets from proven model

cbssports.com

30 January 2023

The seventh-ranked Virginia Cavaliers look to earn their seventh win in a row and stay in the thick of the Atlantic Coast Conference race when they take on the Syracuse Orange on Monday night. The Cavaliers (16-3, 8-2 ACC), who trail No. 24 Clemson by 1.5 games in the conference standings, are 4-2 on the road in 2022-2023. UVA is coming off a 76-57 win over Boston College on Saturday. The Orange (13-9, 6-5), who are tied for eighth in the ACC with Wake Forest, are 9-4 on their home floor this season. Syracuse dropped an 85-70 decision at Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Tipoff from the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., is set for 7 p.m. ET. Virginia leads the all-time series 12-6, including a 5-2 edge in games played in Syracuse. 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 12 of the season 45-26 on all-top rated college basketball picks, returning more than $1,100 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

Featured Game| Syracuse Orange vs. Virginia Cavaliers

Why Virginia can cover

Senior guard Armaan Franklin continues to be the pace setter for the Cavaliers. He is averaging 13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, and has been hot from long range. He is connecting on 42.9% of his field goals, including 41% from 3-point range, and 74.5% from the free-throw line. Franklin has reached double-digit scoring in each of the last nine games, including a 16-point performance against Syracuse on Jan. 7. He scored 18 points in Saturday's win over Boston College and registered his first double-double of the season in a 76-67 win at Wake Forest on Jan. 21, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds

Also powering the offense is senior guard Kihei Clark, who has scored in double figures in two of the last three games. For the season, Clark averages 11.3 points, 5.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. He is hitting on 42.1% of his shots from the floor, including 39% from 3-point range, and 75.3% of his foul shots. He has reached double-digit scoring in nine games, and double-digit assists twice, although he is still looking for his first double-double.

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 almost 70% of simulations. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.