It will be a battle between ACC opponents when the No. 20 North Carolina Tar Heels (12-4, 1-2 ACC) welcome the Boston College Eagles (11-5, 2-2 ACC) to Dean E. Smith Center. The game begins at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 9, 2018.
North Carolina is a 14.5-point favorite on the opening line, while the Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 152.5 points.
Boston College Eagles at North Carolina Tar Heels ATS Prediction
In the Eagles’ last game, they beat the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 77-71. One of Boston College’s largest advantages was getting to the charity stripe. They had 35 free throw attempts, 20 more than Wake Forest. Boston College was led by Jerome Robinson, who was the game’s leading scorer with 25 points on 6-for-15 shooting.
The Tar Heels were beaten by the No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers in their last matchup, 61-49. Virginia’s turnover percentage was their biggest advantage over North Carolina. The Cavaliers had a rate of 16.2 (worse than their season average of 12.7), while the Tar Heels posted a mark of 24.4 (above their season average of 14.8). With 17 points on 7-for-17 shooting, Joel Berry II was the game’s leading scorer.
It will be a matchup of opposite styles as the fast-paced Tar Heels will look to push the more grind-it-out Eagles. The Tar Heels rank 44th in possessions per game while the Eagles are 219th.
Boston College holds records of 11-5 straight up (SU) and 6-4 against the spread (ATS). Games featuring the Eagles have a tendency to finish under the O/U total (60.0 percent).
Meanwhile, North Carolina is 12-4 SU and 8-6-1 ATS. Of the Tar Heels’ 15 games with betting action, 7 have finished over the total.
Both teams have had a player take their game to the next level over their last five games. Robinson (20.6 points, 3.2 assists and 1.2 steals) has been great for the Eagles while Berry II (21.4 points and 1.2 steals) has made great contributions to the Tar Heels.
After the Tar Heels won the only game against the Eagles last season, 90-82, these teams will go head-to-head for the first time this year. The Tar Heels knocked down 24 of their 29 free throws (82.8 percent) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (43.2 vs. 27.0).
Boston College Eagles vs. North Carolina Tar Heels ATS Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – North Carolina, ATS Winner – Boston College, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Boston College is 2-3 ATS with 4 unders and 1 over.
North Carolina is 4-2 ATS at home with 4 overs, 1 under and 1 push.
Boston College ranks 117th in three pointers attempted per game (22.6) while North Carolina ranks 244th in three pointers allowed per game (26.8).
The Tar Heels rank 25th in assists per game (17.3) while the Eagles rank 150th (13.4).
Boston College ranks 30th in blocks allowed per game (2.5) while North Carolina ranks 151st (4.9).
The Tar Heels average 43.8 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the nation. The Eagles rank 116th in rebounds allowed per game (34.4).
Boston College ranks 20th in steals allowed per game (5.0) while North Carolina ranks 82nd (6.3).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Boston College is 3-1 ATS with 2 overs and 2 unders.
North Carolina is 1-3-1 ATS with 3 unders, 1 over and 1 push over their last five games.
The Eagles’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 5.0, down from 7.6 for the season.
During their last five games, the Tar Heels have scored an average of 72.6 points per game (10.0 below their season average) and allowed an average of 72.4 points per game (0.8 above their season average).
