The Miami Hurricanes take on the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville, VA. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Virginia is favored by 8.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -450. The total is set at 146.5 points.
Here’s my Miami vs. Virginia predictions and college basketball picks for February 21, 2026.
Miami vs Virginia Prediction
My Pick: Miami +8.5 (Play to +7.5)
My Miami vs Virginia best bet is on the Hurricanes to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Miami vs. Virginia Odds
| Miami (FL) Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -110 | 146.5 -110o / -110u | +350 |
| Virginia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -110 | 146.5 -110o / -110u | -450 |
- Miami vs Virginia spread: Virginia -8.5
- Miami vs Virginia over/under: 146.5 points
- Miami vs Virginia moneyline: Miami +350, Virginia -450
Miami vs Virginia College Basketball Betting Preview
Miami Basketball
The Hurricanes are still unranked, and with a record of 21-5, that’s a bit surprising. Even more surprising? They’ve won four straight, including both of their games last week, one of which was against the No. 11 UNC.
They'll have plenty of motivation facing off against another ranked foe. Miami is still a bubble team, so getting a Quad 1 win would help its resume a lot.
This team is completely different from last season, and it's playing with renewed excitement. Jai Lucas’ extensive experience in college basketball has enabled him to reach the ranks of a head coach in just nine seasons, and he's largely responsible for this turnaround.
Miami’s strength is predicated on defense, creating 7.8 steals per game. That allows the Hurricanes to get themselves into good situations offensively.
They have three players who average 14.4+ points per game, two of whom average at least 16.4 points. While most teams have a strong frontcourt or backcourt, this Miami team has shown balance.
While the strength of schedule might explain Miami's unranked status, Virginia has played a similar schedule. So, this game should be relatively close, and the 8.5-point spread doesn’t make much sense.
Virginia Basketball
The Cavaliers are having their best season since 2019. At 23-3, they have just one win against a top-25 opponent. Their big difference is that they haven’t necessarily lost to opponents that they should have beaten.
They're also led by a freshman, as the 6-foot-9 Thijs De Ridder leads all scorers with 15.9 points per game. While the Hurricanes are more balanced, with a plethora of guards and forwards contributing, this Virginia team focuses on stronger guard play to surround their star freshman forward.
Ryan Odom has brought in a defensive philosophy very similar to what Tony Bennett did during their national championship run, but this offense is better than anything the latter had. They average over 80 points per game, while allowing under 70 points.
Miami vs. Virginia Betting Analysis
This spread sits at 8.5 points, and I think two things are true. The Hurricanes are undervalued. And second, the Cavaliers are a bit overvalued in this spot.
This game should be relatively close, as both teams are mirror images of each other in terms of efficiency, both offensively and defensively.
If Virginia has the lead late, the Cavaliers aren’t automatic from the free-throw line, hitting under 70% from the charity strike, meaning this spread will remain in play.
Based on the overall perception of this Miami team, it needs this game a lot more, which should give it more motivation. The Hurricanes may win outright, but I'll take the points as insurance.
My Pick: Miami +8.5 (Play to +7.5)
