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Furman vs. Virginia picks, predictions: Who wins NCAA Tournament first-round game?

jeremy cluff, arizona republic
·4 min read

No. 13 seed Furman and No. 4 seed Virginia face off on Thursday in an NCAA Tournament first-round game.

The game is scheduled for 9:40 a.m. MST and can be seen on truTV.

Who will win the game?

Check out these picks and predictions for the contest.

Virginia is a 5.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.

Sports Chat Place: Go with Virginia against Furman

It writes: "I’ll probably stick with Virginia. The Cavaliers took a tough loss to a scrappy Duke team on Saturday, shooting a rough 33.3 percent from the field with 12 turnovers and a 33-30 rebounding deficit. Prior to that Virginia had been playing well however, and they’ve held opponents to 60 or fewer points in five straight games. As for Furman, they’re on a nice six-game win streak themselves. The Paladins have scored 70 or more points in each of those outings, so they’ll certainly want to keep a quick pace here. That said, I don’t think they’ll be able to work past Virginia’s defense."

FanDuel: Virginia 75, Furman 70

Devon Platana writes: "Although I fully expect Virginia to win, covering the 5.5-point spread is another story. On top of being 13-18-1 ATS this season, the Cavaliers have failed to cover in six of their last nine games. On the flip side, Furman is 14-5 ATS in its last 19 contests as well as 11-1 ATS in its last 12 outings on a Thursday. With momentum from its championship victory playing a role, look for Furman to keep things a bit closer than expected."

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Fansided: Take Furman with the points vs. Virginia

Reed Wallach writes: "The Paladins are 13th in three-point rate, but it’s their ability to stretch the floor that creates efficient looks inside, the team is the best two-point offense in the country, hitting over 59% of their interior looks. Virginia’s offense is a big concern against the explosive Paladins offense. I’ll back the mid-major to make some noise."

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Can Furman upset Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?
Can Furman upset Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?

World Sports Network: Go with Furman with the points against Virginia

Tanner Kern writes: "Bothwell is a senior who has been in big games before. His efficiency, combined with the second chance scoring chances Furman has received this season, will make the difference against the spread. We’re not saying the Paladins will pull off the upset, but taking the points is appealing. Furman was 18-13 against the spread, compared to Virginia, who finished 12-18-2. Take the points and hope that Furman’s mid-major success shows in the 1st Round."

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Sportsbook Wire: Virginia 73, Furman 67

It writes: "Virginia has compiled a 13-18-1 record against the spread this season. Furman has put together an 18-13-0 record against the spread this season."

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Furman vs. Virginia picks, predictions for March Madness game