North Carolina Tar Heels vs Virginia Cavaliers Picks and Predictions February 22nd 2025

North Carolina Meets Virginia, Seeks to Continue Surge

Now in a rhythm with three wins in its past four games, North Carolina will look to continue climbing the Atlantic Coast Conference standings on Saturday afternoon when the Tar Heels host Virginia in Chapel Hill, N.C.

North Carolina’s Late-Season Push

North Carolina (16-11, 9-6) sits two games out of the No. 4 ACC seed — a coveted position because the top four teams will earn double byes in the conference tournament.

Who’s Favored in College Hoops Tonight? Discover college basketball picks against the spread for today.

With five games left in the regular season, the Tar Heels are in a favorable position, playing three of their final contests at home, where they are 10-2 this season.

North Carolina is coming off a resounding 97-73 home win Wednesday against North Carolina State, during which the Tar Heels unleashed a press defense that forced nine first-half turnovers by a Wolfpack team that had averaged fewer than nine per game.

RJ Davis (17.5 ppg) leads four North Carolina players averaging double figures in scoring, but it’s the Tar Heels’ defense and bench (43 points vs. the Wolfpack) that coach Hubert Davis continues to emphasize as necessary catalysts.

“I thought it was one of our most — if not the most — complete games that we played all season,” Davis said. “I thought our energy and our effort, our attention to detail on both ends of the floor was really good. The energy from the bench was sustained or even better.”

Virginia’s Recent Form

Virginia (13-13, 6-9) suffered an 80-62 home loss against third-ranked Duke on Monday, snapping a three-game winning streak. However, interim coach Ron Sanchez is focusing on the team’s recent surge rather than the setback against Duke.

Ready To Boost Your Betting Results?

Get Accurate NCAAB Picks Today!

Sign Up!

“I think messaging is important,” Sanchez said. “The power of the tongue is what you need in this space, and I’ve got to make sure that I deliver the right message to these guys, which is we are playing good basketball. … We have to understand that.”

Dai Dai Ames has been a bright spot for the Cavaliers, averaging 16.4 points over the past five contests. Meanwhile, Isaac McKneely, Virginia’s leading scorer at 13.7 points per game, has been even better recently, averaging 18.7 over the past three outings.

Virginia’s defense, always a staple of its identity, has held opponents to an average of 65.5 points per game this season, ranking second among ACC teams.

What’s at Stake?

With North Carolina looking to improve its tournament positioning and Virginia aiming to bounce back, this game will be crucial for both teams as they close out the regular season.