Dean Smith Center features an NCAA basketball betting clash between the host North Carolina Tar Heels and the visiting Virginia Tech Hokies in college hoops action on Saturday.

Supporters of the Hokies have watched them go 11-9 and 8-8-1 ATS on the year, while the Tar Heels are at 14-6 and 11-7 ATS. In totals betting, the Tar Heels are 9-9, while the Hokies have a 10-4 mark.



View Virginia Tech vs North Carolina Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
If you were backing the visitors in this one, the Hokies were listed as 14.5-point underdogs earlier in the day at Sportsbook.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Tar Heels sit at No. 31 in the current college hoops power poll here at Odds Shark, while the Hokies sit at No. 121 on the same chart. The computers running our scores simulations have concluded that the Tar Heels will win this game 84-74.



How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up North Carolina's No. 8 nationally ranked offense (79 points per game) against a Hokies defense that sits as the No. 317 at 74.2 PPG. The Tar Heels have been averaging 44.8% from the field, more than the Hokies have managed so far this season (43.5% on average).

Defensively, Virginia Tech features the nation's No. 343-rated defense on the road, allowing 82.3 points per game. North Carolina, meanwhile, comes in at No. 23 nationally in scoring at home.

In their last action, Virginia Tech was a 73-64 loser at home against Miami. They covered the 9.5-point spread as underdogs. Virginia Tech got 30 points from Erick Green en route to a 73-64 loss at the hands of Virginia Tech on Wednesday at Cassell Coliseum.

North Carolina won its last outing, an 82-70 result against Boston College on January 29. They covered in that game as a 4-point favorite. The Tar Heels got 17 points from James Michael McAdoo as North Carolina ran past Boston College 82-70 on Tuesday at Conte Forum.


Virginia Tech Hokies Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
Before playing Maryland are 4-6
After playing Miami are 4-6
After a loss are 4-6

North Carolina Tar Heels Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 10-0
Before playing Wake Forest are 8-2
After playing Boston College are 9-1
After a win are 5-5

A few Hokies at Tar Heels trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Tech's last 5 games when playing on the road against North Carolina
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Virginia Tech's last 5 games on the road
Virginia Tech is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Virginia Tech is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against North Carolina
North Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Virginia Tech
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of North Carolina's last 5 games when playing at home against Virginia Tech
North Carolina is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
North Carolina is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Virginia Tech


Next up:
Virginia Tech home to Maryland, Thursday, February 7
North Carolina home to Wake Forest, Tuesday, February 5