Virginia guard De’Andre Hunter (12) takes a shot over Notre Dame guard TJ Gibbs (10) in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)Associated Press

NCAAB: Eckel on the ACC picks a trio of early games. Bet fast.

Virginia -5 at LOUISVILLE, Noon; Boston College +10 1/2 at CLEMSON, Noon; Georgia Tech +7 at Miami, 2 p.m.

Published on:

23 Feb 2019, 4:04 pm

There is plenty of action in the ACC Saturday. Some games we like and some we’re not going anywhere near.

I’m not touching Florida State at North Carolina, because who knows how the Tar Heels react after the big win over Duke.

And I’m not touching Duke at Syracuse, because of the health of the Duke team (nee Zion Williamson) and the situation with Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

This is who we like.

Virginia -5 at LOUISVILLE, Noon
Pick: Virginia -5

Louisville (18-9) hasn’t been the same since the collapse against Duke. The Cardinals barely beat Clemson (and did not cover) and then got blown out by Syracuse last time out.

Now they face a Virginia (23-2) team that is back on top of the ACC after Duke lost to North Carolina. The Cavs are 8-1 on the road this season and also 8-1 against the spread on the road. Their last two road games were wins over North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Louisville is an impressive 13-3 at home this season, but is just 6-8 at home against the spread. The Cardinals are also under .500 (4-5) against teams ranked in the top 25.

Here’s another stat to back the Cavs: Virginia is 7-0 against Louisville the last seven times the teams have met and is also 5-1-1 against the spread in those seven meetings.

Boston College +10 1/2 at CLEMSON, Noon
Pick: Under 133 1/2

I was leaning toward Clemson (15-11), but the line seems just a little high for a team that doesn’t score a lot of points.

In their last six games the Tigers have not topped 65 points and have been under 60 points twice. Defensively, they have held opponents to 55 points, or less, in four of those six games.

Boston College (13-12) scored 80 in a loss to North CarolIna State last time out. But in its previous four games failed to top 60.

The under has come out five of the last seven times these teams have met and eight of the last 11.

Georgia Tech +7 at Miami, 2 p.m.
Pick: Under 130

This is strictly based on the trends.

The under is 10-2 the last 12 times the teams have played.

The under is 9-2 in the last 11 Georgia Tech (12-15) games.

And the under is 14-5 in the last 19 Miami (11-14) home games.

Don’t go crazy here, but numbers like that are hard to ignore.

NCAAB