2016 ACC Tournament: Tuesday Gambling Guide

The 2016 ACC Tournament tips off in just under two hours, but let's face it today's games just aren't that exciting. Not only are the Hoos off, but the earliest Virginia could face any of the teams playing today would be in the ACC Semifinals and it seems unlikely any of these four have what it takes to make it that far. With seemingly nothing at stake it can be hard to stay invested, but that's where gambling comes in! Not sure who to pick? Don't worry we've got you covered.

Note: All lines are from Bovada. Gambling is illegal in many states and we in no way encourage any readers to actually place wagers on these games or any others.

Game #1: #12 NC State (15-16, 5-13 in ACC) v. #13 Wake Forest (11-19, 2-16 in ACC)

Point Spread: NC State -4.5 (As a quick refresher this means NC State must win by 5 or more for a bet on them to win)

Regular Season Meetings (Home Team in bold): 1/10: Wake 77, NC State 74. 2/13: NC State 99, Wake 88.

Overview: The "other" two teams from North Carolina both struggled through disappointing regular seasons. NC State will likely miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in Mark Gottfried's five years at the helm, while Wake Forest failed to show the progress many hoped for in Danny Manning's second season. Seemingly the only thing at stake is a chance for one of the victor to get a third shot at knocking off the hated Duke Blue Devils. A win there would allow one of these fanbases to puff out their chests ever so slightly during the long offseason.

Neither team is a juggernaut but there are few D1 teams colder than Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons enter the ACC Tournament having lost 14 of their last 15 games, with the lone victory over lowly Boston College. Wake has talent, led by Freshman All-ACC guard Bryant Crawford, but this is a team that still doesn't know how to win. Even two years out the stench of the Bzdelik era haplessness is not completely gone.

NC State may not have had much more success during the regular season, but they have one of the most electric players in the country in First Team All-ACC guard Cat Barber. Barber was the focus of every opponent's game plan, but he still shredded defenses and led the ACC with 23.4 points per game. This week may be the final time Wolfpack fans see him in an NC State uniform and I doubt he'll let his career come to a close this easily.

The Pick: NC State -4.5

Game #2: #11 Florida State (18-12, 8-10 in ACC) v. #14 Boston College (7-24, 0-18 in ACC)

Point Spread: Florida State -13

Regular Season Meetings (Home Team in bold): 1/26: Florida State 72, Boston College 62.

Overview: You've probably heard this by now, but Boston College is awful. As in historic, tell your grandkids you were alive to see this level of ineptitude bad. The Eagles men's basketball and football teams both finished winless in conference play, becoming the first major conference school to achieve that ignominious double since Georgia in 1943-1944. That's the year Jim Boeheim was born. He's old.

Florida State may not be good, but compared to BC they're basically the Warriors. The Seminoles are led by Dwayne Bacon and Malik Beasley, both of whom were Freshman All-ACC selections, and sophomore Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Bacon and Beasley are potential one-and-dones, and while Rathan-Mayes had a down year he's still capable of catching fire at any moment. The Noles simply have too much talent to lose to the worst major conference since FDR was President, expect them to pull away late for the cover.

The Pick: Florida State -13