Great news for Virginia Tech backers as the No. 4 Hokies will welcome back one of the better point guards in the ACC from injury on Friday when they open East Region play in the NCAA Tournament as double-digits March Madness lines favorites against No. 13 Saint Louis of Conference USA.
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How to Bet Saint Louis vs Virginia Tech March Madness Lines & Game Info
.@SaintLouisMBB Head Coach @CoachTFord5 spoke to the media right before taking off for the NCAA tournament in San Jose.
What’s he like most about coaching this team and how does he feel about being the underdog vs Virginia Tech? #Billikens pic.twitter.com/TMpUCLv00H — 590 The Fan KFNS (@590TheFan) 19 de marzo de 2019
- When: Friday, 9:57 PM ET
- Where: SAP Center, San Jose
- TV: truTV
- Live Stream: March Madness Live
- March Madness Lines: Virginia Tech -10.5 (Total 126)
Why Bet on Saint Louis?
The Billikens’ 19 total wins and 10 conference wins in the regular season were the most by the team since the 2013-14 squad registered 27 and 13 victories, respectively. SLU has improved its win total all three years of the Travis Ford era.
SLU won the Atlantic 10 Tournament, beating St. Bonaventure 55-53. Jordan Goodwin led the way with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Javon Bess added 11 points and eight boards. Saint Louis trailed by 15 points late in the first half before rallying for the win. Tramaine Isabell Jr. was named the A-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Bess was named to the All-Championship Team as well.
SLU will be making its first NCAA appearance since 2014. This marks the program’s 10th overall appearance in the tourney. Bess, the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and second-team All-Conference selection, leads the Billikens in scoring with 15.4 ppg. Isabell Jr. is second on the Billikens in scoring (13.9 ppg). Sophomore guard Jordan Goodwin averages 10.4 ppg and leads SLU in assists (114) and steals (61; third in A-10). The Billikens are the A-10 leaders in rebounding margin at +6.8. SLU is especially strong on the offensive end as it posts 13.9 orpg, fifth in the NCAA.
SLU severely lacks depth. Coach Travis Ford has been relegated to a seven-man rotation since the second half of conference play. Four of the five starters have to play 30-plus minutes a game. The Billikens’ offense also leaves a lot to be desired. They’re not a great 3-point shooting team and are the second-worst free throw shooters in the country.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 67.06
- Field Goal Percentage: 41.82
- Three-Point Percentage: 30.83
- Free Throw Percentage: 59.77
- Total Rebounds: 39.77
Defense
- Total Score: 63.74
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.95
- Three-Point Percentage: 31.30
- Free Throw Percentage: 71.84
- Total Rebounds: 33.20
Why Bet on Virginia Tech?
Even after losing senior forward Chris Clarke for the season to a suspension and having talented freshman Landers Nolley redshirt after NCAA clearance issues, Tech Coach Buzz Williams still guided them to a third straight NCAA bid, which never had happened in the program’s 111-year history.
Virginia Tech got some great news on Selection Sunday when coach Buzz Williams announced senior guard Justin Robinson will return for the NCAA tournament from a lingering foot injury that led to a 12-game absence. The 6-foot-2 guard got a ceremonial start on senior night against Miami on March 8 but hasn’t actually played in a game since being injured against the Hurricanes on Jan. 30 in South Florida.
For the season, Robinson is averaging 13.7 points and 5.2 assists for a Hokies squad that went 24-8. Virginia Tech went 17-3 in games Robinson played, excluding senior night. The team was 7-5 in the other 12 games, including a win over then-No. 3 Duke.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the Hokies in scoring this season at 16.6 points per game, followed by Kerry Blackshear at 14.5 points per game. The duo tied for the team lead in scoring in ACC games at 15.5 points per game. Blackshear led the Hokies in rebounding at 7.2 rebounds per game and Alexander-Walker led the team in total assists (113) and steals (56).
This is the Hokies’ third consecutive NCAA bid, marking the first time in school history that Tech has appeared in three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Tech was the ninth seed in the East Region in 2017 and the eighth seed in the East Region in 2018.
This will be the ninth all-time meeting between the Hokies and the Billikens. Tech is 7-1 all-time against Saint Louis, but lost the last meeting, 77-71, in Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2017, in the 2K Classic.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 74.00
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.55
- Three-Point Percentage: 39.41
- Free Throw Percentage: 75.78
- Total Rebounds: 32.59
Defense
- Total Score: 62.09
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.56
- Three-Point Percentage: 33.18
- Free Throw Percentage: 72.16
- Total Rebounds: 29.94
Saint Louis vs Virginia Tech March Madness Betting Trends
- Hokies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games
- Hokies are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games
- Billikens are 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 non-conference games
- Billikens are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Atlantic Coast
Expert Final Score Prediction for Saint Louis vs Virginia Tech
Saint Louis 56 – Virginia Tech 68
