Florida State vs Georgia Tech Odds and Picks for ACC Title Game
By Robert Duff in College Basketball
Published:
- The Florida State Seminoles are four-point favorites over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the ACC Tournament final on Saturday, March 13th
- Georgia Tech reached the final via walkover after Virginia (COVID-19) was forced to drop out of the tourney
- It’s the first time since 1996 that neither Duke or North Carolina reached the ACC Tournament final
A year later, the Florida State Seminoles (16-5, 11-4 ACC) are right where they expected to be in 2020 – in the ACC Tournament final. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (16-8, 11-6 ACC), though, are the hottest team in the conference at the moment.
Last year, the Seminoles won the ACC regular-season title and were declared ACC champions when the tournament was called off due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Seminoles also played in the 2019 final, so this is technically their third straight season with a shot at the title.
Georgia Tech lost 75-74 to Wake Forest in the 1996 ACC Tourney final. That was the last one prior to this year that didn’t feature at least one of Duke or North Carolina in the game.
Georgia Tech is in the ACC Tournament final for the first time since 2010. The Yellow Jackets haven’t won the ACC tourney since 1993.
Oddsmakers don’t expect the Yellow Jackets to end their drought. The Seminoles have been established as four-point favorites, even though Georgia Tech has won seven games in a row.
Georgia Tech vs Florida State ACC Final Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Tech | OFF | +4 (-106) | O 149.0 (-106) |
| Florida State | OFF | -4 (-116) | U 149.0 (-116) |
Odds as of March 13th at FanDuel.
Seminoles Establishing a Reputation
The Duke-North Carolina-Virginia triumvirate that has dominated ACC basketball may be in need of updating. Based on recent results, it’s now a quartet when it comes to ACC hoops powers.
Florida State is playing in the ACC Tournament final for the second straight time. The Seminoles have been in at least the semi-finals in three of the past four tourneys.
All four of Florida State’s ACC Tournament final appearances (2009, 2012, 2019, 2021) have come under coach Leonard Hamilton.
The 16-5 Seminoles put one of the best offenses in the nation on the floor. KenPom ranks them #10 in adjusted offensive efficiency (117.2). Florida State entered the ACC tourney leading the conference in scoring average (79.6 points per game) and scoring margin (+9.5 ppg).
Walk on Over
The novel coronavirus proved capable of doing what no squad has accomplished since Feb. 12th – prevent the Yellow Jackets from winning a game on the floor.
A positive COVID-19 test within the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers, the team slated to face Georgia Tech in Saturday’s other semi-final, ended up forcing them to pull out of the tourney.
Tonight's ACC Tournament game between Georgia Tech and Virginia has been cancelled due to issues related to COVID-19, per release. Georgia Tech moves on to the title game. Virginia is OUT.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 12, 2021
The Yellow Jackets won their semi-final in a walkover.
Florida State also benefitted for a positive COVID-19 test within the Duke roster. That forced the Blue Devils out of the tournament and the Seminoles won their scheduled quarter-final with Duke via walkover.
Trendspotting
Georgia Tech’s roster includes the ACC Player of the Year (senior forward Moses Wright) and Defensive Player of the Year (senior guard Jose Alvarado). Wright is averaging 17.5 points and eight rebounds per game. Alvarado comes up with 2.9 steals per game.
Florida State guard Scottie Barnes was named ACC Freshman and Sixth Man of the Year. Barnes is fifth in the ACC with 4.3 steals per game.
Georgia Tech and Florida State split two regular-season games. The Yellow Jackets won 76-65 at home on January 30th. Florida State was a 74-61 winner, also at home on December 15th.
⭐️ 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 ⭐️
Moses Wright has been a 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 all season long! @mant12_ | @GTMBB pic.twitter.com/BVaO2IZ6Uv
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) March 8, 2021
The Yellow Jackets are 2-5 against the Seminoles under current coach Josh Pastner. They’ve scored at least 71 points in seven of the past eight games.
Georgia Tech is 7-1 against the spread over the past eight games. Four of the last six Yellow Jackets games have gone over.
The total has gone over in six of Florida State’s last eight games. However, the total has gone under in four of the last five games between these two teams.
Pick: Georgia Tech +4 (-116)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
