Virginia Tech vs. Texas: NCAA Tournament odds, final score predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Fresh off a thrilling ACC Tournament run, No. 11 seed Virginia Tech is getting ready to face off with No. 6 seed Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The predictions are in from KenPom and ESPN, and the Vegas odds also show how the game could go.

How to watch Virginia Tech vs. Texas

Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisc.

Network: TBS

Vegas odds

According to VegasInsider, Texas is a two-point favorite over Virginia Tech on Friday. The over/under for the game is 124.5.

ESPN BPI prediction

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) measures team strength and predicts future performances across the sport. The BPI prediction from ESPN gives the Longhorns a 50.2% chance of victory over the Hokies and lists it as the highest quality matchup of the day.

Projected winner: Texas

Predicted point differential: 0.1

Matchup Quality: 96.5

KenPom prediction

KenPom is another tool used to predict and project college basketball results. Like the BPI, KenPom predicts Texas to walk away with a close victory.

Predicted winner: Texas

Predicted final score: Texas 64, Virginia Tech 62

Win probability (for Texas): 55%

More on Virginia Tech, Texas’ paths to NCAA Tournament

Virginia Tech was the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament and made a run to the championship game, where the Hokies knocked off No. 1 seed Duke to clinch the league’s automatic bid. They went 23-12 overall in the regular season and posted an 11-9 mark in conference play. Keve Aluma had a big game against the Blue Devils, scoring 19 points and 10 rebounds to propel the Hokies to victory.

Texas had an up-and-down season that ended with three straight losses, including a 65-60 loss to TCU in the Big 12 Tournament. The Longhorns finished 21-11 overall and 10-8 in league play under first-year coach Chris Beard, who’s gearing up for his first NCAA Tournament as Texas’ coach.