Providence Friars vs. Virginia Tech Hokies, Preview, Odds, Prediction and Picks for Saturday, November 8, 2025
Use Code SSWC The Basketball Hall of Fame Tip Off is going down in Connecticut on Saturday and we’re getting you ready with Providence vs. Virginia Tech prediction. The Friars (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) were winners in their season opener, 88-79, versus Holy Cross as -24 favorites at home. The Hokies (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) were 98-67 winners over Charleston Southern on Monday as -19 favorites at home. This will be the second game of the day at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville and tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 EST. Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!
Providence vs. Virginia Tech Matchup
Youthful Providence ready to strike
The Friars suffered through their worst season in 15 years last year, so they reset with 10 new faces and 5 returning players. They got off the mat and opened the season with a nice victory at home, though their defense had a second-half lapse, allowing 52 points while the team held on.
Youth was served in the opener, with freshmen Stefan Vaaks and Jamier Jones pacing the offense. Vaaks came off the bench and knocked down three three-pointers in 20 minutes as he led the team with 19 points. Jamier Jones also logged 20 minutes off the bench and added 16 points on 7-7 shooting from the field. The team shot 50% from the field in the win and went 7-26 from beyond the arc. Last season’s team was second-to-last in the Big East, averaging 71.3 points while shooting 44% from the field.
Jason Edwards will be one of the players that head coach Kim English will to in an effort to improve the offense from a year ago. The Vanderbilt transfer is one of the 20 players named to the Naismith Starting 5 - Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List. He averaged 17 points for the Commodores last season and 19 the season before while at North Texas. The senior guard scored 11 points in his Friars’ debut on 4-11 shooting in 22 minutes on Monday.
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Team notes
- Duncan Powell needs three points to reach 1,000 for his career.
- Oswin Erhunmwunse, second in the Big East with 1.63 blocks per game last season, blocked 4 shots in the season opener
- Jason Edwards was named a Preseason All-Big East Second Team selection before the start of the season.
Virginia Tech plays to the final whistle
Last season, the Hokies experienced their worst effort in a decade. They look to regroup with 10 new players in the mix, including seven true freshmen. So far, so good, as they were able to get their offense in motion, extending a four-point halftime lead by outscoring Charleston Southern, 56-29.
Despite how young this team is, the Hokies are not starting from scratch. They return Tobi Lawal, who led the team with 12.4 points and 7 rebounds per game last season. The senior forward did not hesitate to lead the way out of the gate as he scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He also blocked two shots. West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry became the first player to debut for Virginia Tech with a double double since 2022. The forward scored 19 points and led the team with 13 rebounds and 2 steals. Tech averaged just 69.2 points and shot 44.2% from the field last season, so the team shooting 46.1% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range is a solid start towards improving things this season.
Neoklis Avdalas is a promising freshman from Greece who had initially declared for the NBA Draft before pulling back and committing to Virginia Tech. The 6-foot-9 averaged 14 points and 7.1 rebounds in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket tournament this summer ,and in his Hokies’ debut, the guard scored just 3-13 and scored 8 points. He also grabbed 3 rebounds and led the team with 9 assists and 2 blocks in 29 minutes.
Team notes
- Lawal and Hansberry were the first Hokies pair since 2021 to have a points-rebounds double-double.
- Virginia Tech grabbed 54 rebounds in their season-opening win.
- Freshman center Antonio Dorn was forced to sit out the opener due to the NCAA’s standard delayed enrollment condition.
Providence vs. Virginia Tech Picks
Spread Pick for Providence vs. Virginia Tech
- Virginia Tech -1.5 (5 units)
This should be a solid matchup with both teams having the same number of new faces on their rosters this year. While the Hokies check in a bit younger, both also have returners who are expected to lead the way. In this instance, it’s Virginia Tech who has more on that front. Lawal showed earlier in the week that he is ready to roll this season, and he played only 29 minutes. Hansberry followed suit and is another veteran presence who can score and contribute big on the glass. The Friars are worrisome in how they let Holy Cross back in that game on Monday. They do not have the bodies who will be able to attack the glass like Virginia Tech does and this will be a big difference maker.
Take the Hokies.
Over/Under Pick for Providence vs. Virginia Tech
- Under 155.5 (5 units)
While both teams were able to light up the scoreboard in their respective openers, both were also playing mid-majors. This is a great test for both sides, seeing as they are quite similar in makeup. The thing we need to look at here is the youth. Both teams did have some freshmen contribute big in the season opener, but we cannot expect that on a nightly basis, especially as competition gets better. Kids tend to try and do too much at times when things are going well for the teams, and with so many young bodies on both sides, I expect some of that to creep in. Last season, Virginia Tech ranked 295th in tempo, per KenPom, and Providence ranked 234th. Both teams have the same coaches and philosophies in place as last season, so things aren’t about to speed up here.
Take the under.
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