Game predictions: NC State at Virginia

NC State Wolfpack basketball continues ACC play Wednesday at Virginia at 6:30 p.m. on ACC Network.

The Cavaliers (15-5, 11-3 ACC) are coming off of a 66-65 road loss to Duke, and the Wolfpack (10-9, 6-8 ACC) claimed an 80-62 road victory over Wake Forest in its last game.

Here are The Wolfpacker staff's game predictions for State's matchup with Virginia:

NC State is playing its best basketball of 2021 recently, but it may be running into Virginia at the wrong time.

The Wolfpack is once again facing Tony Bennett's squad after the Cavaliers suffered a rare loss. The Hoos first came to Raleigh and beat the Wolfpack 64-57 after a road loss to Virginia Tech earlier this month, at that point the Cavs' lone loss in ACC play.

Now Virginia enters the second meeting coming off of a two-game losing streak. Granted, neither of those should be considered bad losses.

The Cavaliers were beaten up by Florida State's athleticism in an 81-60 defeat in Tallahassee last Monday and went on to lose a one-point contest to a desperate Duke team in Cameron Indoor Stadium this past weekend.

Maybe Virginia is showing some vulnerability, but I lean towards thinking they'll bounce back strong at home.

NC State will play well and give the Hoos all they can handle, but will it be enough? To beat Virginia's pack-line defense, teams have to get elite play from their backcourt.

The Wolfpack's freshman guards have found some confidence recently, but can they knock down jumpers and limit mistakes to make the Cavaliers pay?

I believe they will in flashes, but it won't be enough to beat a Virginia team playing with its head on fire to prevent a three-game losing streak. Unfortunate timing plays a big role tonight.

Game prediction: Virginia 65, NC State 61

Previous predictions:

ACC Game 1: NC State 79, UNC 75 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 2: NC State 87, Boston College 80 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 3: NC State 73, Clemson 71 (Actual: Clemson 74-70)

ACC Game 4: NC State 72, Miami 64 (Actual: Miami 64-59)

ACC Game 5: NC State 82, Florida State 77 (Actual: Florida State 105-73)

ACC Game 6: North Carolina 81, NC State 75 (Actual: UNC 86-76)

ACC Game 7: NC State 80, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 72-67)

ACC Game 8: NC State 75, Syracuse 72 (Actual: Syracuse 76-73)

ACC Game 9: Virginia 70, NC State 65 (Actual: Virginia 64-57)

ACC Game 10: NC State 77, Boston College 70 (Actual: NC State 81-65)

ACC Game 11: NC State 75, Syracuse 69 (Actual: Syracuse 77-68)

ACC Game 12: Duke 85, NC State 84 (Actual: Duke 69-53)

ACC Game 13: Pittsburgh 70, NC State 67 (Actual: NC State 74-73)

ACC Game 14: NC State 78, Wake Forest 67 (Actual: NC State 80-62)

I think NC State is in a position to offer more glimpses of hope rather than despair to close out the regular season, but this is one of those matchups that is going to be tough.

Virginia does a good job of defending, period, but it always seems to do especially well against squads that rely heavily on their frontcourts. Perhaps that is why Roy Williams' UNC squads struggle so much against the Cavaliers.

At the moment, NC State is at its best when forwards Jericole Hellems and DJ Funderburk are leading the way. Funderburk does seem to have a habit of playing Virginia pretty well in his career, and Hellems was good when they met earlier this year.

I also felt NC State had its best chance to beat Virginia then. An unusually officiated game, at least for Virginia, led the Cavs to get a big disparity at the line that proved to be partially the difference.

I said after that Virginia game the Cavs are good, but not Final Four good. They are certainly beatable, but as Justin alluded to already, the set-up is not the best for NC State. I'm going to give the edge to Virginia, covering the nearly 12-point spread.

Prediction: Virginia 72, NC State 58

Previous predictions:

ACC Game 1: UNC 79, NC State 70 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 2: NC State 78, Boston College 66 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 3: Clemson 79, NC State 76 (Actual: Clemson 74-70)

ACC Game 4: NC State 79, Miami 76 (Actual: Miami 64-59)

ACC Game 5: Florida State 79, NC State 76 (Actual: Florida State 105-73)

ACC Game 6: North Carolina 79, NC State 76 (Actual: North Carolina 86-76)

ACC Game 7: NC State 77, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 72-67)

ACC Game 8: NC State 69, Syracuse 66 (Actual: Syracuse 76-73)

ACC Game 9: Virginia 72, NC State 59 (Actual: Virginia 64-57)

ACC Game 10: NC State 74, Boston College 62 (Actual: NC State 81-65)

ACC Game 11: NC State 78, Syracuse 67 (Actual: Syracuse 77-68)

ACC Game 12: Duke 83, NC State 76 (Actual: Duke 69-53)

ACC Game 13: Pittsburgh 71, NC State 62 (Actual: NC State 74-73)

ACC Game 14: NC State 77, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 80-62)

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