Pitt vs. North Carolina prediction, pick, college basketball odds
Yesterday at 05:53 PM
The college basketball season is starting to enter the stretch drive, so we get matchups like the 18th-ranked Pitt Panthers visiting the 20th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. The teams have a national ranking but haven’t been performing as well in the ACC, as the Panthers are eighth and the Tar Heels are seventh. Pitt has a 5-6 record and is looking to tie North Carolina and their 6-5 record with a win on the road. The teams met a little over a week ago, with the Panthers taking an eight-point win at home as 2.5-point favorites. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Pitt-North Carolina prediction and pick.
Pitt’s win against North Carolina stands out over the last ten games, but that’s one of the only bright spots in a disappointing ACC schedule. The Panthers have lost two consecutive games since that win and four of five games before the Tar Heels victory. Pitt was the favorite in eight of the last ten games but left that stretch with a 4-6 record, which is disastrous for the team. Pitt’s previous loss was the most disappointing of the last ten games, as they hosted Virginia as 12.5-point favorites and lost by a whopping 16 points.
North Carolina’s four-game winning streak made it look like the Tar Heels would be a contender in the ACC. With a 12-6 record, they could prove some people wrong with a stretch against good competition. However, they lost four of their next five games, including the Pitt loss. Even the win was a six-point result, as they were 19-point favorites against Boston College.
Here are the Pitt-North Carolina College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Pitt-North Carolina Odds
Pitt: +4.5 (-106)
Moneyline: +162
North Carolina: -4.5 (-114)
Moneyline: -196
Over: 154.5 (-110)
Under: 154.5 (-110)
How to Watch Pitt vs. North Carolina
Time: 4 PM ET/1 PM PT
TV: ESPNU
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Pitt Will Cover The Spread/Win
Pitt hasn’t been the most profitable team for bettors, but they are doing much better than North Carolina. The Panthers covered half of their 22 games this season, while the Tar Heels covered just seven of their 23 games and failed to cover six of their last seven. Meanwhile, Pitt covered two of their past three games after failing to cover in six of seven. The Panthers started the year by covering eight of their first 12 games.
Why North Carolina Will Cover The Spread/Win
North Carolina’s defense has been abysmal this season, ranking 306th in the nation with 76.7 points allowed per game. However, they haven’t been as bad against the conference, allowing Pitt to score just 73 points in their last matchup. North Carolina’s issue was on offense, where they scored just 65 points. The Tar Heels must figure out a way to generate points against a Panthers defense that hasn’t been performing well this season. North Carolina ranks 37th with 81.2 points per game, while Pitt’s defense ranks 162nd with 71 points allowed per game.
Final Pitt-North Carolina Prediction & Pick
North Carolina hasn’t been performing well, but that poor stretch gives us some value in a game where they should bounce back after losing to Pitt last week. It’s difficult to see the Tar Heels losing back-to-back games against the Panthers, and it’d make sense for them to return the favor in this matchup. North Carolina’s offense didn’t show up in that first meeting, but they match up well with Pitt, especially at home.
Final Pitt-North Carolina Prediction & Pick: North Carolina -4.5 (-114)
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