Eckel on ACC: Two for Tuesday - Hokies @ ‘Noles, Pitt @ Miami
There’s four games Tuesday night in the ACC. We’re just looking at two of them, however, both of them being played down in the Sunshine State. That’s Virginia Tech at Florida State and Pitt at Miami.
# 16 Virginia Tech (+3 1/2) at #13 FLORIDA STATE, 7 p.m.
The Pick: Florida State (-3 1/2)
This is the game of the night in the conference (unless Wake Forrest upsets Duke). The fourth seed in the ACC Tournament and the double bye the goes with it is on the line.
Give Virginia Tech (22-6) a lot of credit for hanging in the race without its best player and top scorer Justin Robinson for the past 10 games. The Hokies are still hoping J-Rob makes it back for the tournament, but he won’t be playing in Tallahassee, Tuesday.
Florida State (23-6) might not just cause some trouble for the big three in the ACC Tournament, but might be a school to consider when you fill out your brackets in the NCAA Tournament.
The Seminoles are 14-1 at home this season with the lone loss 80-78 to Duke. They have also won 10 of their last 11 games overall with the only loss at North Carolina.
Here’s a stat that jumped out at me twice as I looked this one over. The Hokies are just 3-7 against the spread this season vs. teams with a winning record. And the same 3-7 in their last 10 games at FSU.
This will be a fun game to watch and it’s even more fun when you have a “rooting interest’’, so take the Seminoles and have some fun.
Pitt (+6) at MIAMI, 8 p.m.
The Pick: Miami (-6)
I have an old rule that I some times break, like now, “Don’t bet on bad teams.’’
Miami (12-16) certainly isn’t good. But Pitt (12-17) is beyond bad right now. I’m not sure I would take Pitt straight up over Ranney Prep or Roselle Catholic right now. I’m joking, sort of.
The Panthers have’t won since they upset Florida State, Jan. 14. That’s going on two months now. Pitt has lost 12 straight games and are 0-11-1 against the spread in those 12 games The Panthers are also 0-10 on the road this season. Miami is 10-5 at home, so that makes the game a little more attractive as well.
Don’t bet the house, or even the family pet, on this one. But if you’ve bet against Pitt the past month-and-a-half you’re ahead of the game. Take a little of that and keep the trend going.