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No. 6 Virginia seeks 10-0 start to season Thursday vs. CSU
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Published: 12/18/2014  at  4:08:00 AM
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CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS (5-5)

at VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (9-0)

Tip-off: Thursday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Virginia -17, Total: 110.5

No. 6 Virginia looks to remain undefeated on Thursday night when it hosts Cleveland State.

The Vikings (4-3 ATS) will look for a big road victory as they take on their second top-10 team on the road. In its first tough road game, Cleveland State faced Louisville, and hung around deep into the second half, but the Cardinals eventually pulled away for the 45-33 victory. Cleveland State is 1-5 SU on the road this season, but the team has been very good to bettors on the road the past two seasons, going 16-5 ATS. The Vikings have struggled to score this season, and that won't likely change against a Virginia team that ranks No. 1 in the country in scoring defense (47.4 PPG allowed). The Cavaliers (6-1 ATS) are 6-0 ATS the past two seasons when allowing teams to shoot 34% to 39% from the field. The only significant injury for either school is Virginia SF Darion Atkins (back), who is upgraded to probable.

Which tough defense will carry its team to victory on Wednesday night? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks. The experts have begun the 2014-15 season with a bang, posting a collective 55% ATS mark (73-61) in Best Bets. The five experts are led by StatFox Gary's stellar 64% ATS mark (18-10), while StatFox Brian and StatFox Dave are both 56% ATS (15-12), and StatFox Zach is 54% ATS (14-12) to open the season.

The Vikings have had a lot of problems on the offensive end, ranking 201st in the nation in scoring (67.5 PPG), 236th in shooting (42.0% FG), 240th in rebounding (33.5 RPG) and 183rd in assists (12.7 APG). PG Trey Lewis (19.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.9 APG) has developed into one of the best scoring guards in college basketball, as he can score off the bounce, and from deep (46% threes). The junior from Ohio is coming off a game in which he scored 32 points, while going 9-of-11 from the three-point line. PF Anton Grady (11.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG) and SF Marlin Mason (9.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 54% FG) are two solid role players who are capable of producing in the paint. In the matchup against Louisville, Cleveland State had to worry about a team that was looking to get up and down the court in a hurry. In Virginia, it will be completely different, as the Cavaliers are one of the most methodical teams in college basketball.

Virginia's offensive numbers may not jump off the page, as it ranks 174th in the nation in scoring (68.7 PPG), but the Cavaliers are also 33rd in the nation in shooting (48.7% FG), 36th in rebounding (40.2 RPG) and 140th in assists (13.4 APG). Virginia deliberately slows the game down and does not get the number of possessions that most other teams do in college basketball. Balance is the key for the Cavaliers, as four players average at least 8.4 PPG. SG Justin Anderson (15.8 PPG, 57% FG, 4.9 RPG) is the leading scorer on the team, and he has seen his scoring double as he has taken over the scoring void left by Joe Harris. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, he is a very difficult matchup for opposing guards. His ability to hit the outside shot (59% threes) makes him one of the most difficult players to guard in the ACC. PF Anthony Gill (13.0 PPG, 66% FG, 6.6 RPG) and PG Malcolm Brogdon (12.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.9 APG) are two guys who are capable of taking over a game at any time. While he is not shooting the ball as well from three this season (31%) as he did last season (37% threes), he is still becoming a more complete offensive player. Brogdon has been on fire so far in December with 16.5 PPG on 57% FG (12-of-21) and 4-of-7 threes in two games.


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