The Jacksonville State Gamecocks will look to bounce back from a loss in the Conference USA title game as they visit the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets in a first-round NIT matchup tonight.
The Yellow Jackets won eight of their last 12 games down the stretch, and I’m taking them to cover in my free Jacksonville State vs. Georgia Tech predictions.
Find out more in my college basketball picks for Tuesday, March 18.
Who will win Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech?
The Gamecocks are running into a Georgia Tech squad playing well down the stretch and getting home-court advantage for this first-round showdown.
The Yellow Jackets are the better team in this matchup, and given their recent form, they should win tonight.
Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech prediction
My best bet: Georgia Tech -6 (-110 at bet365)
Early in its ACC schedule, Georgia Tech was sitting at 9-12 and looked to be in the middle of a lost season. However, the Yellow Jackets have played quite well over the past two months of the season, even leading at Duke at halftime of the ACC quarterfinals.
Georgia Tech has now covered in five of their last six games and has won six straight home games outright. This is clearly a team on the rise, and that momentum could carry the Yellow Jackets far against NIT-level opposition.
The Yellow Jackets have gotten the most out of their roster by utilizing a balanced offense, particularly in their first unit. All five starters are averaging at least 12 points per game, led by guard Lance Terry (14.5 ppg). Notably, all five starters can shoot the ball from deep – each is shooting at least 33% from three-point range on the season – which makes it challenging for opponents to guard when Georgia Tech stretches the court.
While Jacksonville State averages 73.9 ppg on the season, those results have primarily come against weaker Conference USA opposition. The Gamecocks haven't faced off against many teams that have the talent or defensive ability of Georgia Tech, especially the way the Yellow Jackets are playing down the stretch. While the raw numbers for the season aren’t amazing, Georgia Tech plays relatively fast, and KenPom rates it as 65th nationally in adjusted defensive rating.
Georgia Tech has held five of its last seven opponents Under 70 points, and it’s unlikely Jacksonville State will get to that number against a hot ACC team. I’m taking the Yellow Jackets to cover, as their swarming offensive attack should be too much for the Gamecocks to handle.
Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech same-game parlay (SGP)
Georgia Tech -5.5
Over 141.5
Georgia Tech has been playing well lately, particularly at home, so I’m happy to take the Yellow Jackets on the spread in my same-game parlay as well. I’m more comfortable dropping the number by a half-point rather than moving to 6.5, though both make sense depending on your preference.
I’ll also take the Over in this SGP. Both teams have typically played to slightly higher totals than the 141.5 number listed for this game, and each has shown a slight bias toward high-scoring games down the stretch. With both teams averaging well over 70 ppg on offense and neither side possessing an elite defense, the Over should have the clear edge.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech odds
Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech live odds
Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech opening odds
- Spread: Jacksonville State +5.5 (-110) | Georgia Tech -5.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Jacksonville State +190 | Georgia Tech -230
- Over/Under: Over 140 (-110) | Under 140 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech betting trend to know
Georgia Tech is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall. Find more college basketball betting trends for Jacksonville State vs. Georgia Tech.
How to watch Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech
| Location | Hank McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta, GA |
| Date | Tuesday, 3-18-2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
Jacksonville State vs Georgia Tech key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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