Expert prediction
NCAA First Round: Wright State vs Virginia Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 20)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Raiders won the Horizon League title to punch their ticket.
- The Cavaliers finished as the runners-up in the ACC Championship.
- This marks the first all-time matchup between the two ACC squads.
A unique matchup graces the hardwood as the Wright State Raiders face the Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The latter comes out as the dominant favorite, showing that the Raiders have their work cut out for them throughout one of the more intriguing matchups on Friday.
How to Watch
- When: Friday, March 20, 1:50 pm ET
- Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- How to Watch: TBS
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright State | -110 | +18 | O145 |
| Virginia | -110 | -18 | U145 |
Game Preview
The Raiders (23-11) are the first Wright State team in program history to win the Horizon League outright regular season and tournament titles in the same season. They took down Cleveland State, Northern Kentucky and Detroit Mercy to reach the mountaintop of the conference tournament. Michael Cooper leads the unit with averages of 13.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Michael Imariagbe stands out as a double-double threat with 11.8 points and seven rebounds, while Solomon Callaghan shines as a perimeter threat with 66 made 3-pointers on a 38.6% clip.
The Cavaliers (29-5) secured their place in the NCAA Tournament with an At-Large bid after falling to Duke in the ACC Championship. They stand out as a team that can make a deep run in the tournament if results fall in their favor. Virginia ranks first in the ACC in blocks (6.5 bpg) and offensive rebounding (13.2), second in rebounding (40.2), field goal percentage defense (39.5%), third in scoring defense (68.4 ppg), scoring margin (+12.7), rebounding margin (+7.4), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.309) and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (35.9%), assists (16.6 apg), 3-pointers (10.1), defensive rebounds (27.0 rpg) and assist/turnover ratio (1.53). Thijs De Ridder leads UVA in scoring (15.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg), while Malik Thomas (12.4 ppg), Sam Lewis (10.8 ppg) and Chance Mallory (9.5 ppg) are UVA’s other leading scorers. Ugonna Onyenso leads the team in blocks (3.0 bpg) and Dallin Hall leads in assists (4.3 apg).
Wright State vs Virginia Head-to-Head
The two programs are facing each other for the first time in their respective histories.
Wright State vs Virginia Predictions
The Virginia-Wright State winner advances to the NCAA Tournament second round vs. No. 6 seed Tennessee or No. 11 seed Miami (OH) on Sunday, March 22. The Raiders have a balanced attack that can cause trouble for Virginia if multiple players come out with big performances. Virginia possesses elite talent on both sides of the ball as Wright State will have a hard time containing the attack for key stretches of the game. Our betting pick here is the Cavaliers to defend an 18-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Virginia Cavaliers -18
NCAAB
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