Charlottesville is an incredibly tough place to play: UVA has won 22 straight home games. But the Hurricanes are getting healthier, the entire starting five is available, and I like them to take this to the wire. Miami enters on a 4-1 ATS run, the loss coming by 1.5 points to the spread.

Virginia has really found its form over the last six games and I expect them to win, at home, against a Miami team that needed a 27-for-29 performance from the free throw line to storm back from a double-digit deficit to beat Virginia Tech at home on Saturday. But with the line inflated to two whole possessions in a game where I expect limited possessions let's rely on the strength of UVA's defense at home. And speaking of free throws, don't expect as many in this contest as both teams are in the top 25 nationally in free throw rate defense.

I sure hope this contest is a battle. When I'm betting under I love closely contested games, I do worry about the game going into... (Don't even think about that). We all know have solid of an under team Virginia is but did you know Miami has been a good under team on the road. Their pace at thome is 74 but on the road it is 68. They are 4-2 under in true road games. Virginia's defense has them on a six-game winning streak. My model has this total at 112. 1.5 unit bet

Though not quite as pronounced this season, Miami knows about success on the ACC road, having recorded numerous wins the past few years as a conference visitor. Virginia Tech and Notre Dame have already been conquered away from home this term, and Jim Larranaga has no time to waste if he wants the Canes to move toward the safe side of the Big Dance cut-line. Norchad Omier (averaging 18 & 10) continues to do yeoman's work on the blocks, and PG Nijel Pack has picked up the pace (18 ppg last 3) as Miami has won three of four. Pack also has experience dealing with Tony Bennett's Pack-Line defense, having engineered a 66-64 win at Coral Gables last season. Play Miami