Oakland Vs Virginia NCAA Basketball Odds Preview

It can be altogether too easy for a team to become a little too comfortable and end up losing a game they should win. The #5 ranked Virginia Cavaliers have already lost one such game this season, and they came close to making it two a couple of nights ago. They will be looking for a much better effort when they welcome the Oakland Golden Grizzlies to John Paul Jones Arena on Wednesday, December 30. Tip-off for this College Hoops Lines match up is set for 6 PM EST on ESPNU.

Golden Grizzlies Vs Cavaliers NCAA Basketball Odds Preview

The Cavaliers will come into this one as the straight up favorite, but they are going to have to play better than they did last time out if they want to avoid the upset. Oakland recently gave Michigan State a scare, so this is not a team to be overlooked. There are going to be lots of great opportunities to win some money on this one, so be sure to check back in here at MyBookie.ag for all the latest odds as they happen.

FINAL #OaklandMBB 101, Chicago State 93 #WEARtheBEAR pic.twitter.com/9Da6L1Wif0

— Golden Grizzlies (@GoldenGrizzlies) December 29, 2015

Why bet on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies

After a bit of a slow start to the season, Oakland (8-4) is beginning to play some very good ball. They have won 5 of their last 6 games, and the lone loss in that run saw them take the #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans to OT before finally going down 99-93. This is a team that can score a lot of points, and the game against the Spartans proved that they can go toe to toe with the big boys. The Golden Grizzlies are 3-3 on the road this year, so I expect this to be a tough one for them. Oakland is 6-1-0 ATS and 6-1-0 O/U this season. They are averaging 88.4 PPG, and are giving up 79.3 PPG.

Why bet on the Virginia Cavaliers

It can be argued that the latest scare for the #5 ranked Cavaliers (10-1) came as a result of them getting a little too cocky and comfortable. After all, they had just come off back to back wins against ranked opponents, and they probably expected to roll over California. They did eventually win 63-62 in OT, but were served notice that they can’t just show up and expect to win every night. They will know exactly what Oakland did against Michigan State, and will be better prepared to hold of an offensively talented squad. Virginia is 5-4-0 ATS and 5-4-0 O/U this season. They are averaging 76.0 PPG, and are giving up 59.2.

My Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Oakland is not a team that Virginia wants to get into a shootout with, so look for them to try and control the pace of the game. If they can slow things down and play their own game, Virginia should come up with the win. My prediction: Oakland Golden Grizzlies 63 Virginia Cavaliers 76