There are three games in the ACC Wednesday night, but we’re focusing on just one. The line on the Virginia/Georgia Tech game (19) is just too high, but not high enough to take Tech. And while Boston College (+5) at home against Louisville was tempting, the Cardinals have to wake up sooner or later.
So that leaves this . .
CLEMSON (- 4.5) at PITTSBURGH, 7 p.m.
Pick: Clemson (-4.5)
The past two nights in the ACC haven’t been very kind. Florida State couldn’t cover against a bad Notre Dame team and then Duke got upset (again) at Virginia Tech.
I’m looking to Clemson (16-11) to end the mini-skid against Pitt (12-15), which hasn’t won since it beat Florida State, Jan. 14.
Clemson is trying to enhance its seed in the ACC Tournament and get off the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. In Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi’s latest, the Tigers are one of the last four teams in the tournament. A loss to dreadful Pitt and they’ll be out.
Pitt hasn’t just lost 10 straight games they haven’t even covered in any of those 10, going 0-9-1. The Panthers are 9-6 against the spread at home so that’s a bit worrisome. But Clemson is 4-4 on the road against the spread.
One thing the Tigers have done this season is beat bad teams. Of their 11 losses, only one is to a team with a losing record (a one-point decision at Miami). And there aren’t many teams as bad as Pitt.