The Villanova Wildcats (2-2) and the Virginia Cavaliers (2-0) meet in the 2024 Hall of Fame Series on Friday in Baltimore. The Cavaliers have won both their games thus far. On Nov. 11, Virginia beat Coppin State 62-45. Meanwhile, Villanova is coming off a loss as Saint Joseph's outlasted the Wildcats 83-76 last time out.
Tipoff from CFG Bank Arena is at 5 p.m. ET. The Wildcats are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Virginia vs. Villanova odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 129.5, up a point from the opener. Before making any Villanova vs. Virginia picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 2 of the 2024-25 season on a 155-110 betting roll (+2102) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Virginia vs. Villanova and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball betting lines and trends for Villanova vs. UVA:
- Virginia vs. Villanova spread: Wildcats -4.5
- Virginia vs. Villanova over/under: 129.5 points
- Virginia vs. Villanova money line: Wildcats -199, Cavaliers +165
- Virginia vs. Villanova picks: See picks here
- Virginia vs. Villanova streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Villanova can cover
Senior forward Eric Dixon is the go-to scorer for this Wildcats offense. The Pennsylvania native is ninth in the nation in scoring (26.3) with 8.3 rebounds and shoots 55% from the field. He's scored at least 22 points in three games this season. In the loss to Saint Joesph's, Dixon had 24 points and nine rebounds.
Senior guard Wooga Poplar is an agile and skilled ball handler in the backcourt. Poplar can create his own shot and battles on the glass. He's putting up 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. The Pennsylvania native has scored at least 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in every game this season. On Nov. 4, Poplar had 20 points and 10 rebounds. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Virginia can cover
Freshman forward Jacob Cofie provides Virginia with an all-around playmaker who can be efficient in multiple spots. The Washington native creates space around the rim as a scorer and rebounder. Cofie logs 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and makes 76% of his shot attempts. He also averages 2.5 steals and two blocks per game. In his last matchup, Cofie had 11 points and 11 boards.
Junior guard Isaac McKneely is floor spacer for the Cavaliers. McKneely owns a quick shooting release but takes the ball off the dribble as well. He averages 12.5 points, four rebounds and shoots 45% from downtown. In the victory over Coppin State, McKneely finished with 14 points, six rebounds and knocked down four 3-pointers. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Virginia vs. Villanova picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 133 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. You can see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Virginia vs. Villanova, and which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out.