Furman vs Virginia Prediction & Game Preview- March 16, 2023 (March Madness)

Circled as a game that some believe has upset potential, 4th-seeded Virginia will face 13th-seeded Furman at 12:40 EST on Thursday. There have been 31 upsets of the 3-14 games in the 37 years since the tournament expanded to its 64- (and now 68-) team format. But does Furman have enough in the tank to continue this March Madness trend?

The Paladins put forth an impressive 27-7 record this year and went 15-3 in Southern Conference play, winning the tournament overall. They play a fast-paced style, scoring 82.1 points per game, which ranks eighth in the country, as well as ranking eighth in assists (17.1 per game) and 19th in 3-pointers (9.5).

Furman is led in scoring by senior guard Mike Bothwell. The 6-foot-3 standout has avergaged 18.0 ppg as well as 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. 6-foot-7 forward Jalen Slawson is also capable of taking over a game and has averaged 15.7 ppg and 7.1 rpg.

It will be a difficult task facing off against a well-coached and defensive-minded Virginia team. The Cavaliers (25-7) rank sixth in the country in points allowed by giving up just 60.3 ppg. While they can struggle to rebound at times, they are incredibly careful with the ball, turning it over just 8.1 times per game, which is the best rate in the country.

The team's leading scorer is Armaan Franklin at 12.4 ppg, and the Paladins have seven players averaging at least 5.0 ppg. Virginia will also be Furman's toughest matchup of the season as Furman has not faced a ranked opponent all year. The program is also 1-13 in its last 14 matchups with ACC teams.

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Prediction for Virginia vs. Furman

As great as Furman has looked for stretches this year, Virginia has a level of talent that the Paladins have not faced and this will show in this matchup. Count on Tony Bennett's Cavaliers to come out organized and execute its game plan.

Expect the Virginia defense to suffocate Furman and for the Cavaliers to have no issues making their impact on the offensive end. The Cavaliers have taken down more complete and talented teams already this year and hope this will be a small step towards a deep tournament run.

While Furman may make a splash early as it tries to play with a rapid tempo, don't expect Virginia to waver. When push comes to shove, UVA is the better team and will produce a comfortable victory in this one.