The 10^th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels (20-6) have a tough ACC challenge ahead of them as they take on the Virginia Cavaliers (20-7) on Saturday, February 24 at 4:00 PM ET at the John Paul Jones Arena. The Tar Heels are slight favorites to find success with a point spread at -2.5 (-110).

The Tar Heels seek to find consistency on the road, as they are 3-2 in their last five games heading into this matchup. Their most recent game was a 96-81 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Armando Bacot will likely have a big game here, or at least he will need to in order for them to succeed. He is currently averaging 14.6 points and 10.3 rebounds a game, ranking him 11^th in the nation with rebounds.

The Tar Heels have an average scoring of 82.8 points per game, boasting a 45.2 percent success rate in field goals and emphasizing teamwork with an average of 14.6 assists per game. In contrast to the Cavaliers, they create fewer scoring chances with less ball movement.

On the defensive end, they restrict opponents to 71.4 points, leading to a positive point differential. Some key defensive statistics to check out comprise of 41.1 rebounds, 4.2 blocks, and 5.9 steals per game.

The Cavaliers also battled the Hokies in their last meeting, but turned out much worse than what the Tar Heels experienced. The Cavaliers fell 75-41, where they shot 16.7 percent from three.

Reece Beekman will need outstanding guard play in order to give the Cavaliers a chance to win. He currently puts up 13.9 points and 5.8 assists each game.

The Cavaliers maintain an average score of 64.1 points per game, boasting a 44.5 percent success rate in field goals. Their effective ball movement, reflected in 15.5 assists per game, underscores their proficiency in seizing scoring chances.

Defensively, they hold opponents to an average of 58.6 points per game, showcasing a significant point differential compared to their offensive output. Furthermore, they grab 33.3 rebounds, block 5.1 shots, and notch 7.6 steals in each matchup.

MyBookie has the odds ready for this college basketball showdown, which favors the North Carolina Tar Heels by 2.5 points on the road. Market analysis shows they have a 65.3 percent probability of winning this matchup.

The Cavaliers are coming off a disappointing loss to say the least against a team that the Tar Heels just beat by double digits. You could argue that the Cavaliers had a bad day shooting, but when their offense struggles, their defense is supposed to help slow teams down.