North Carolina vs. N.C. State Pick
Who has the edge in the big ACC matchup tonight when No. 15 N.C. State plays host to No. 12 North Carolina at 9PM ET?
639 North Carolina vs. 640 N.C. State
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
9PM ET – PNC Arena
TV: ESPN
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Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, N.C. State is the slim favorite to win this game, as the Wolfpack are getting odds of -1 point against the Tar Heels. The over/under total is listed at 171.5 points. The public betting currently has 58 percent going on North Carolina as the slight underdog. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
UNC rolling
Since an 80-72 loss to Kentucky, North Carolina has won three straight, covering double-digit spreads in all three games. That includes an 85-60 win at Pittsburgh on Saturday. UNC is 11-3 on the season, 1-0 in the ACC, 3-1 on the road, 8-4-2 against the spread and 8-6 with the over.
North Carolina has one of the top offenses in the nation right now. The Heels rank fifth in scoring at 89.9 points per game while pulling down 45.1 rebounds per game, which ranks second nationally. When it comes to defense, UNC is giving up 72.1 points per game, but holds opponents to just 40.4 percent shooting from the field and 31.3 percent shooting from the arc. Cameron Johnson is leading the team with 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while Luke Maye is adding 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest.
N.C. State on a hot streak
N.C. State is riding a 7-game win streak right now following an 87-82 win at Miami on Jan. 3. The Wolfpack are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games, with the only failed cover being as a 30-point favorite. N.C. State is 13-1 on the season, 1-0 in the ACC, 10-0 at home, 11-3 against the spread and 7-6 with the under.
Like UNC, N.C. State has one of the top offenses in the nation, as they average 89.2 points per game, which ranks sixth in the nation. The Wolfpack also shoot 52.1 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from the arc. Defensively, N.C. State is slightly better, giving up just 66 points per game while holding opponents to 28.4 percent shooting from 3. Torin Dorn is leading the team with 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while Markell Johnson is adding 12.4 points and 4.2 assists per contest.
College Basketball Betting Trends
North Carolina
UNC is 4-1 against the spread in its last five road games and 4-1 ATS in its last five ACC games.
N.C. State
The Wolfpack are 4-1 against the spread in their last five home games and 6-2 ATS in their last eight ACC games.
Prediction:
This is certainly a big game, but it’s the biggest game of the season for N.C. State while UNC has already faced some tougher tests. The road team has actually won three straight and seven of the last nine between these two and UNC is 4-1 against the spread in the last five. Both teams are capable of getting really hot, so N.C. State could simply shoot itself to the win, but I trust the Tar Heels to get the job done. They seem more battle tested and have the program pedigree to back them.
College Basketball Prediction: North Carolina +1