Virginia Cavaliers vs NC State Wolfpack Picks & Predictions for Saturday, January 3, 2026

By: Thomas Pemberton Published 01/03/2026, 03:10 AM ET
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Tons of college basketball games to be played on Saturday. The Virginia Cavaliers will head to NC State to take on the Wolfpack. NC State is a -3.5 home favorite and the over/under is set at 155.5 points. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:00 AM est at the Lenovo Center. Stay up to date with our expert's Free College Basketball Picks. 

Virginia Cavaliers Preview

The Virginia Cavaliers are 11-2 and ranked #21 heading into the weekend. Virginia has won eight of their last ten games. The Cavaliers head into NC State with a 1-1 road record. Virginia is coming off of a rare loss in their last game. The Cavaliers lost to Virginia Tech 95-85 in triple overtime. Malik Thomas led the way in the loss with 26 points. Thijs De Ridder added 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. De Ridder leads Virginia on the season with 16.5 points scored per game. The Cavaliers are scoring 87 points per game with 10.5 made three pointers. Virginia is grabbed 13.2 offensive rebounds per game.

NC State Wolfpack Preview

The NC State Wolfpack are 10-4 on the season. NC State is 6-4 over their last ten games and they carry a 8-1 home court record. The Wolfpack are riding a three game win streak. NC State beat Wake Forest 70-57 in their last game played. Quadir Copeland led the way with 14 points and 8 assists. Ven-Allen Lubin added 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Paul McNeil leads NC State on the season with an average of 14.2 points scored per game. NC State has five players scoring double digit points per game. The Wolfpack are scoring 87 points per game with 10.8 made three pointers.

Virginia vs NC State Picks & Predictions

The NC State lost to Virginia by three points in their last meeting back in 2024. NC State is 8-6 against the spread on the season. The Wolfpack are seeking their fourth straight win and have been impressive at home this season. The Cavaliers are looking to bounce back after a rare loss. Take the points with Virginia as they are a barking underdog.

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  • Final Score Prediction: Virginia Cavaliers win 85-82 and cover ATS.

Virginia vs NC State Best Free Picks

  • Virginia Cavaliers +5.5
  • OVER 155.5

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