Virginia Cavaliers vs NC State Wolfpack Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 01/03/26

The ACC schedule moves into its first weekend as the Virginia Cavaliers travel to face the NC State Wolfpack. These are two teams under new coaching staffs and with mostly remade rosters, but both have come out of the gates way better than expected. The Hoos are 4-pt road underdogs, but they are nationally ranked and have only lost twice. One of those losses came on the road this week at Virginia Tech, and that was in three overtimes. As for the Wolfpack, they have 4 losses, all to quality opponents like Kansas and Auburn. This is a fantastic matchup between two well-balanced teams to open the Saturday slate, and I am going to take the points with Virginia on the road.

Both teams have similar profiles as far as the metrics go, and they are neck and neck in most of those ranking systems. They both play efficiently on both ends of the floor. UVA has a slow pace of play, while the Pack plays faster, but Virginia takes good care of the basketball, and without a lot of turnovers, NC State is not likely to speed them up much. NC State has the advantage on the glass, but UVA shoots the three better, and the Wolfpack does not defend the three well. That might be enough to keep this game close. Either team could win this one, but I feel better taking the points with the Cavaliers.

Virginia vs NC State Prediction: Virginia +4 (-105) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.