Notre Dame Fighting Irish at North Carolina Tar Heels NCAAB Pick - Odds - Free ATS Prediction

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at North Carolina Tar Heels NCAAB Pick - Odds - Free ATS Prediction

Cliff Knox
Date: February 5, 1:00 pm
Location: Dean Smith Center
TV: ESPN

Betting Odds

Point Spread: North Carolina -8.5
Total: 157.5

<p>
The 12th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels host the 20th ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in an ACC game that will take place at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina at 1 PM ET. The college basketball betting board shows UNC as a -8.5 point spread favorite with the total line listed at 157.
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<p>
Notre Dame is coming off an 84-74 loss to a ranked Duke team in their last game where they failed to cover the spread as a 1-point underdog. The total number of points scored in the game was 158, which was over the closing line of 153. The Fighting Irish have failed to cover the spread in their last three games and previous to the Duke game the total had gone under in two straight games. Overall, Notre Dame has lost three straight games with two of those losses coming against ranked teams.
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<p>
North Carolina is coming off an 80-78 win over Pittsburgh in their last game where they failed to cover the spread as a 19-point favorite. The total number of points scored in the game was 158, which was under the closing line of 160. The Tar Heels have failed to cover the spread in three of their last four games, including their last two, and in their last three games the total has gone under every time. North Carolina has won eight of their last nine games with their only loss in that span to Miami previous to the Pittsburgh game.
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<p>
Offensively, Notre Dame is putting up 78.8 points per game on a 46.5% FG average. On the defensive side of the ball the Fighting Irish are allowing 68.1 points per game on a 41.6% FG average.
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<p>
North Carolina is putting up 88 points per game, which ranks 6th in the nation, on a 46.8% FG average. On defense the Tar Heels are allowing 71.8 points per game on a 41.9% FG average.
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<p>
Last season at home Notre Dame beat North Carolina 80-76, but then lost to them in the conference tournament and in the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament.
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<h2>
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Trends<br />
</h2>
<ul>
<li>
Notre Dame is 6-3 against the spread in their last 9 games overall.
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<li>
The Fighting Irish are 4-2 against the spread in their last 6 games against the Tar Heels.
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<li>
The game total has gone under in 5 of the Irish’s last 7 games against the Tar Heels.
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<li>
North Carolina is 5-0 straight up in their last 5 home games.
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</ul>
<h2>
Public Money Consensus<br />
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<p>
In this NCAAB matchup between Notre Dame and North Carolina see the public leaning to the Tar Heels minus the 8.5 points with over 55% confidence. The over/under bettors are thinking this game will go over the posted total of 157.5 with almost 80% on board.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish at North Carolina Tar Heels Prediction

Neither team is playing their best ball right now, with the Irish losing four of thier last five and the Tar Heels are coming off of a narrow two point win over Pitt as a -19 favorite and a prior to that a 15 point road loss to Miami. Therefore I'm going to stay away from a point spread bet and play the total. Notre Dame allowed 84 points to Duke and 83 to FSU and now face North Carolina's No. 4 scoring offense in the country averaging 87.3 points. The defense of the Tar heels has been struggling in recent games allowing middle of the road offenses to score in the 70's and we may need ND to put up their seasonal road average to cross the total.

Free Pick: Take the OVER 157
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