Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Tar Heels versus the Panthers? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN. The game will be played at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA. In this Atlantic Coast matchup, the Tar Heels are the betting favorite against the Panthers. The over/under for the game is 157.5 points.

NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS VS PITTSBURGH PANTHERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Pittsburgh Panthers +4.5

This game will be played at Petersen Events Center at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, January 2nd.

WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PANTHERS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-68 in favor of the Panthers.
  • Not only will Pittsburgh pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 157.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 142 points.

Can North Carolina Pull Out the Win as Road Favorites?

Today, North Carolina will face Pittsburgh in their 13th game of the season. So far this year, they have a record of 9-3. In their previous five road games, including those from last year, North Carolina has a record of 2-3. As of today’s game, North Carolina holds a 6-6 ATS record. In road games vs. the spread, the Tar Heels are 1-2, while at home they are 5-4 vs. the spread.

North Carolina’s games have, on average, featured 159.5 points per game leading to an over/under record of 8-4-0. Their average over/under line is currently 152.1 points so far. Looking at the Tar Heels’ last three games, their over/under record is 2-1 with their games averaging 161 points per game.

North Carolina finished with 105 points in their game against Charleston Southern. This total surpasses their season-average of 86.2 points per game. The top scorer for the Tar Heels was RJ Davis with 20 points, while Jalen Washington also added 17 to the scoreboard.

At present, the Tar Heels’ defense is nationally ranked 190th, allowing 73.2 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 8.2 threes per game vs. Pittsburgh. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 32.8%.

Can Pittsburgh Secure a Home Victory?

Pittsburgh heads into their 14th game of the season with an overall record of 9-4. The Panthers have a 2-1 record on the road and a 7-3 record overall. As of today’s game, Pittsburgh has a 7-5-1 record against the spread. In their last five games, they are 2-2-1 vs. the spread.

In 13 games, Pittsburgh comes in with an over/under mark of 9-4-0, with their games averaging 145.2 points per game. The Panthers’ have recorded an over/under record of 1-2 in their last three games, with their games averaging 132 points per game.

In contrast to their season average of 80.5 points per game, the Pittsburgh had a below average performance. They scored 73 points against Syracuse and had a field goal percentage of 41.9%. The team’s scoring leader is Blake Hinson, who holds an average of 19.5 as they head into today’s matchup. Additionally, Carlton Carrington is averaging 14.1 points per game this season.

At this time, the Panthers’ defense is positioned 47th in the country, permitting 64.8 points per game. In today’s game, the Pittsburgh defense will be looking to once again do a good job defending the three-point line, as they gave up just 3 three-pointers while giving up 81 points.