The 2^nd ACC Semifinal game will tip-off at 9:30 PM ET on Friday night and will feature the 10^th-seed North Carolina State Wolfpack facing off against the 3^rd-seed Virginia Cavaliers with the ACC Tournament taking place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, District of Columbia.

North Carolina will be playing basketball for the fourth consecutive day after having to play in the first round of the ACC Tournament. However, the Wolfpack have been on a tear and have looked impressive in their first three games in the tournament, including a 74-69 win against the second-seed Duke Blue Devils in the ACC Quarterfinals on Thursday, a game they led for the majority of the game. 

North Carolina State’s other wins in the ACC Tournament came against Louisville by a score of 94-85 and Syracuse by a score of 83-65. It would be hard-pressed to find anyone who expected North Carolina State to be in the ACC Semifinals after finishing in 10^th place in the ACC during the regular season and ending the season on a four-game losing streak. However, they have been shooting the ball well during the tournament, averaging 83.67 points per game. 

The offensive efficiency will be tested in the ACC Semifinals, though, as they will be facing one of the best defensive teams in college basketball this season, the Virginia Cavaliers, and a team they split the series with this season with a 76-60 win at home in the 1^st meeting and a 53-59 loss in overtime on the road in the 2^nd game. The North Carolina State Wolfpack will look to advance to the ACC Championship game with a win over the Virginia Cavaliers on Friday night.

Virginia has earned the reputation of being one of the top defensive teams in college basketball over the past few seasons, and that is no different this season as they are allowing the 3^rd fewest points nationally with an average of 59.13 points per game. The Cavaliers needed overtime to beat the Boston College Eagles in the ACC Quarterfinals on Thursday with a 66-60 win and have won three of their last four games while riding a two-game winning streak entering this matchup. 

Virginia will receive a bid for the NCAA Tournament for the 2^nd consecutive season after finishing in 3^rd place in the ACC Conference with a conference record of 13-7 and an overall record of 23-9. The Cavaliers have not won the ACC Tournament since the 2017-18 college basketball season, which was also the season they became the first 1^st-seed to lose to a 16-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Virginia must face the North Carolina State Wolfpack to advance to the ACC Championship game. However, the Wolfpack will also be playing for the 4^th consecutive day on Friday night and will likely be tired for this matchup. 

The Cavaliers split the series with the Wolf Pack this season, with both teams winning at home and Virginia winning the most recent meeting by a score of 59-53 in overtime. The Virginia Cavaliers will look to win the series this season when they face the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the ACC Semifinals on Friday.

BookMaker lists the Virginia Cavaliers as 6-point favorites against the North Carolina State Wolf Pack in the ACC Semifinals on Friday night. The series has been closely contested over the last five seasons, with the teams splitting the previous eight meetings, including the two contests this season, with the Cavaliers needing overtime to win at home in the most recent matchup by a score of 59-53 with the 6-point spread also ending in a push.

The NC State Wolfpack is red hot in the ACC Tournament after not showing much life during the final stretch of the regular season. At the same time, Virginia remains one of the top teams in terms of defensive efficiency. The series has been tightly contested over the last eight matchups, with the teams splitting the meetings; however, NC State will be playing basketball for the 4^th consecutive day, and although they have looked impressive in their first three games, I look for the energy level of the Wolfpack to almost be depleted for this matchup. Lay the points with the Virginia Cavaliers when they face the NC State Wolfpack in the ACC Semifinals on Friday night.