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The Virginia Cavaliers are, according to online betting sports odds, favored to defeat the Gardner-Webb Runnin Bulldogs by 22 points. The Cavs won 29 games and lost three this season (16-2 in ACC play). Furthermore, UVA finished 23-9 this season, per the best online sportsbooks. Virginia was the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season co-champions. However, the Cavs lost 59-69 to Florida State in the semis of the ACC tournament as 8.5-point favorites. The Bulldogs went 23-11 this season (10-6 in Big South Conference play). GWU upset Radford 76-65 in the Big South championship game as seven-point underdogs.

This will be the Bulldogs first NCAA tournament appearance. But that doesn’t make UVA head coach Tony Bennett. “Looking at their offensive numbers and their defensive numbers, obviously Gardner-Webb is very good,” Bennett said. “When you have to win on the road and beat good teams in that league, which they did, it means they’re playing very good basketball. They played a quality nonconference, and they won a couple of ACC games, so there’s certainly great respect for them.” After which he presumably broke into “Rags to Riches.”

Virginia Cavaliers vs. Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs

  • Date: Friday March 22, 2019
  • Time: 3:10 PM (EDT)
  • Venue: Colonial Life Arena Columbia, SC
  • Odds from Intertops.eu:
Team SP/RL TOTAL ML
Gardner-Webb +21½ (-110) 129½ (-110) +2375
Virginia -21½ (-110) 129½ (-110) -4750
Bet Now on this Game

Betting Virginia

If the best offense is a good defense, then the Cavaliers should have the best offense in the country. While that may not be the case, they best defense in the nation. UVA allows just 55.1 points per game and holds opponents to 27.2% three-point shooting. As it turns out, Virginia should play to its defensive strengths. At least according to Ron Counts of the Daily Progress. “The Cavaliers are traditionally known as a team that puts an emphasis on defense and likes to slow the pace of a game,” he wrote. “This may be the year when Virginia needs to lean into that stereotype. Get the ball across midcourt, work it inside, control the tempo and make every possession count.”

According to online betting sports trends, the Cavs went 9-3 ATS against non-conference opponents this season. Those nine wins came by an average margin of 22.2 points per game. UVA is also 43-18-1 ATS in their last 62 games overall. 20-8 ATS in their last 28 non-conference games. The over is 5-1 in Virginia’s last six NCAA tournament games.

Betting Gardner Webb

Unlike UVA, GWU allows 73.4 points per game and 33.8 three-point percentage. The latter is especially bad news for the Bulldogs. The Cavs shoot 40.9% from the three-point line though they only attempt 20.7 treys per game. Come to think of it, the former is also bad news. Virginia has scored at least 70 points in five of their last six games. The Bulldogs are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall. And 4-0 ATS in their last four games playing a team with a winning record. The over is 8-3 GWU’s last 11 games playing a team with a winning percentage above .600.

Pick: Last year, No. 1-seeded Virginia lost 54-74 to No. 16-seeded UMBC in the first round. According to online betting sports odds, the Cavs entered that game as 20.5-point chalk. One has to wonder, what are the chances of that happening again? Then again, one should wonder, what were the chances of that happening once? But enough waxing rhetorical. UVA shoots 40.9% from the three-point line. And GWU allowed 33.8% shooting from that said line. Against competition that’s nowhere near ACC levels. To paraphrase ‘Big Poppa Pump’ Scott Steiner, the numbers don’t lie and they spell disaster for Gardner Webb. Holla, if you hear me!

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