Virginia heads to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College on Saturday afternoon. The Cavaliers are ranked in the top-20 in the country and will look to stay in the top-25 with a win over a struggling BC squad. UVA is a heavy favorite on the road and they will try to avoid being put on upset alert in this contest. Before tip-off from Massachusetts, you can keep reading to get my Virginia vs Boston College prediction in college basketball.
Our Virginia vs Boston College Pick
Pick: Boston College +13.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
Matchup: Virginia Cavaliers @ Boston College Eagles
Date & Time: Saturday, January 31, 1:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Silvio O. Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Broadcast: The CW Network
Key Storylines
Form guide: Virginia enters off a 100-97 double-overtime win over Notre Dame, showcasing late-game shot making and the ability to hold their nerve in a close game. Boston College split its last two games, defeating Pitt 65-62 on a late three before a 68-64 setback against Notre Dame. Virginia is 6-2 in ACC play this season, while BC is 2-5 in conference play heading into this matchup.
Star power: Thijs De Ridder leads Virginia at 17.1 points and forward Johann Grunloh anchors things on the glass at 6.5 rebounds per game. Boston College’s Fred Payne averages 15.1 points per game, with Donald Hand Jr. offering additional scoring.
Team profile: Virginia’s offense averages 84.6 points per game with 47% shooting, 17.5 assists, and a noticeable edge on the boards. BC enters this game with 68.2 points per game with 40% shooting and fewer assisted looks, putting pressure on Payne and Hand Jr. to hit perimeter shots and shots in isolation settings.
Situational angle: Virginia owns a 5-1 road record and rarely wastes trips with empty possessions. Boston College is 8-3 at home and has held opponents under 70 at Conte Forum many times this season, a sign that the Eagles can grind games out. But most of those home wins came against lesser non-conference competition.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
Virginia is 19-9 all-time against Boston College.
The Cavaliers are 11-7-2 against the spread so far this year.
Boston College is 8-12 against the spread going into this matchup.
The under is 11-9 in Virginia's first 20 games this season.
Boston College has stayed under the total in 13 of their first 20 games.
Virginia vs Boston College Model Projection
Score Projection: Virginia 72 – Boston College 64
Win Probability: Virginia 71%, Boston College 29%
Final Thoughts
Virginia's offense should be able to get them through this contest against Boston College with a win. But I do think that Boston College will be able to slow this game down somewhat and limit the number of possessions. I recommend taking the points with Boston College here, as they should make this a competitive game on their home floor, even if Virginia ultimately comes away with the win on the road.
Affiliate DisclosureATS.io uses affiliate links. If you sign up through a link on this page, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Rankings are based on hands-on testing and published criteria, and affiliate relationships do not determine placement.
