Florida State vs Pitt Odds, Pick: Why to Bet Seminoles

Two teams sitting right in the middle of the ACC standings meet in a crucial matchup for conference tournament seeding on Tuesday when the Pittsburgh Panthers take on the Florida State Seminoles.

The Panthers host the Noles at Petersen Events Center, as each team looks to close out the regular season strong before the ACC Tournament in Washington D.C. next week.

So, where does the betting value lie? Let's dive into the Florida State vs. Pitt odds and make a pick in our college basketball betting preview for Tuesday, March 5.

Following a promising 6-2 start in conference play, the Seminoles have gone backward of late by losing seven of their last 10 games. The most recent loss for Leonard Hamilton’s team came in an 85-76 defeat at Georgia Tech last Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite.

FSU ranks towards the bottom of the league in 3-point shooting (31.9%) and free-throw shooting (70.5%).

In five conference road games, the Seminoles have shot 29% or worse from long distance but made 7-of-21 3-point attempts at Georgia Tech.

FSU started ACC play 6-0 against the spread, but the Seminoles have posted a 4-7-1 ATS mark in their last 12 games.

Jamir Watkins continues to be a consistent scorer for Florida State by leading the team with 15.1 points per game. In his last 10 games, Watkins has put up 17.2 PPG while shooting a career-high 46.5% from the floor — six percentage points better than his last season at VCU.

For as poor as Florida State has been from downtown, the Seminoles have made up for it with stellar 2-point shooting. FSU ranks second in league action by converting 53.1% of its 2-point attempts, and it now faces a Pittsburgh team that sits 12th in the ACC in 2-point defense (52.4%).

The must-have app for college basketball bettors

The best NCAAB betting scoreboard

Free picks from proven pros

Live win probabilities for your bets

DOWNLOAD NOW

FSU started hot and then cooled off, but Pittsburgh’s road to a 10-8 conference mark went the opposite way.

The Panthers stumbled to a 1-5 start, which included four home losses. However, Jeff Capel’s team caught fire by winning nine of its next 12 games, including five victories away from home.

Pitt ranks atop the league in turnover percentage, as the Panthers have turned the ball over a total of 20 times in the last four games. They have also shot well from 3-point range (35.9%) in conference action but sit 13th in 2-point shooting and free-throw shooting.

The Panthers have taken care of business in the favorite role recently by winning and covering in their last six opportunities when laying points. In Pitt’s last four victories as a favorite, all four wins came by 10 points or more.

After its early home struggles, Pittsburgh has won four consecutive games at the Zoo. The Panthers return home after splitting a pair of road games with a loss at Clemson and a blowout victory over Boston College.

Blake Hinson is averaging a career-high 18.5 points per game, while his 3-point shooting has improved to 42.1% this season. Hinson torched Louisville for 41 points on 9-of-13 shooting from long distance on Feb. 17 but has gone 7-of-21 from 3-point range in the past four games.

Last season, the road team won each of the two matchups in this series, as Pitt went into Tallahassee and picked up an 83-75 victory as a four-point favorite. The Panthers have lost the last two home meetings against the Seminoles, including a 71-64 defeat last January as seven-point favorites.

Pittsburgh is obviously the team playing better at the moment, but FSU basically played from behind the entire game at Georgia Tech last Saturday.

The Seminoles have flipped to a sizable underdog after finding plenty of success in Pittsburgh over the last few seasons.

If FSU can slow Pitt down at the 3-point line, the Seminoles have a great chance to not only cover but win this game outright.

Pick: Florida State +6.5 (Play to +6)