North Carolina at Miami odds, picks and predictions
The No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels (18-5, 10-2 ACC) take on the Miami Hurricanes (15-8, 6-6) Saturday. Tip-off at the Watsco Center is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook's lines around the North Carolina vs. Miami odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Both schools enter the matchup having lost 2 of their last 3 games. The Hurricanes defeated the Tar Heels 80-72 in the lone meeting last season. Miami G Nijel Pack finished with 23 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range.
North Carolina features G RJ Davis, the top scorer in the ACC with 21.3 points per game, and F Armando Bacot, who is the only player in the conference averaging double-digit rebounds at 10 per game. Bacot will go head-to-head with another big who earned preseason 1st-team All-ACC honors in Miami F Norchad Omier, who is 2nd in the conference in rebounds per game (9.8).
The 38 points Miami put up this past Monday night against Virginia was the fewest amount the program has scored since 1948. G Kyshawn George left the game with an injury early on and never returned. The freshman, who had double-digit point outputs in 4 of 5 games entering the UVA game, is considered questionable for the Saturday showdown in South Florida.
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North Carolina at Miami odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access Paste BN Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:36 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): North Carolina -164 (bet $164 to win $100) | Miami +136 (bet $100 to win $136)
- Against the spread (ATS): North Carolina -3.5 (-110) | Miami +3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 159.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
North Carolina at Miami picks and predictions
Prediction
North Carolina 74, Miami 71
Moneyline
BET NORTH CAROLINA (-164).
It's a lot of juice, so I certainly understand including it in a parlay or buying a point or 2. There is just no way I could advocate betting on a team that just shot 2 of 20 from 3, even as a home dog.
Against the spread
PASS.
Just like Pack and Miami G Wooga Poplar, UNC G Cormac Ryan also struggled in his last game. The Notre Dame transfer went 1 of 10 from the field in the loss against Clemson, including 0 for 6 from 3-point range. The Tar Heels shot just 16 percent from beyond the arc in last year's matchup vs. the Canes, and this season Miami is holding its opponents to a 30.3% 3-point scoring percentage, 3rd-lowest in the ACC.
Expect Hurricanes coach Jim Larrañaga, who has done a remarkable job covering as an underdog in the past, to gameplan effectively and keep his team in it until the end. Personally, I would rather skip this opportunity to back this Miami team given its most recent offensive performance.
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Over/Under
BET UNDER 159.5 (-110).
Who are the other 2 ACC schools above Miami in terms of opponent 3-point percentage entering Saturday? No. 2 is Pitt (.302), and UNC boasts the lowest (.301).
Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis was optimistic about his team's performance in practice this week, which could certainly translate into more effort on the defensive end. Expect a 4th straight Under between these schools.
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