Eckel on ACC: Tournament pick - Georgia Tech or Notre Dame?

Three games highlight the start of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, Tuesday. We’re only going to suggest wagering on one of them.

We’re going to pass on the early game, Wake Forest vs. Miami; and the late game Pitt vs. Boston College (although the under in that one is intriguing).

Georgia Tech (+2) vs. Notre Dame, 2 p.m.
The Pick: Georgia Tech (+2)

If you just want to base things off the final game of the regular season then bet the house on the Yellow Jackets (14-17).

Georgia Tech went into Raleigh and upset North Carolina State, 63-61. It gave Tech a two-game winning streak to take into the tournament, the other win was at Boston College.

Notre Dame (13-18) ended the regular season with a loss at Pitt. That’s the same Pitt that had lost 13 straight games prior to beating the Fighting Irish.

These two teams split during the season with each winning at home. Notre Dame won the more recent game, 69-59 in South Bend, but hasn’t won since. The loss to Pitt was the seventh straight for the Irish.

Georgia Tech is no great shakes for sure. But its record against the spread this season is 19-12, which says the team might be as bad as most think. The Ramblin' Wreck is playing better basketball than the Irish right now and getting two points is just a bonus.

Don’t bet the house, but a small wager to get tournament action started isn’t a bad idea.

Here’s another little stat for you. Over the last 13 times these two have met Georgia Tech is 11-1-1 against the spread.