Many teams will focus more on defense as the tournament rolls along. Providence went UNDER the total the last game, surviving 40.3 percent shooting while edging U.S.C. 70-69 on Rodney Bullock's layup with 1.5 seconds left. NBA talent Kris Dunn (16 ppg, 6.3 assists pg, 2.5 steals pg) battled foul trouble that limited him to just 27 minutes. The Friars are 13-3 ATS and 19-7 UNDER the total at neutral sites. Providence finished seventh in the Big East in scoring, but third in points allowed. They face a North Carolina Tar Heels squad that has held 26 straight opponents to under 45 percent shooting from the field. However, this is a terrible three-point shooting team on offense, dead last in the ACC at .315%, and on a 13-5 run UNDER the total. Providence matches up well, so look for a close one all the way and a strong effort from both defenses in the first half. Play Providence and the first half UNDER.
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Lines & Odds
Friars vs. Tar Heels Spread Picks
Get Friars vs. Tar Heels point spread picks, expert spread analysis, computer model picks, betting consensus data, matchup breakdowns, key betting angles, and the latest odds insights for today's Friars vs. Tar Heels game.
Public Consensus
Who was the public on? 60% of the public bets were on North Carolina Tar Heels on the -11.5 ATS. 50% of the public money was on North Carolina Tar Heels to win on the moneyline. And, 69% of the bets were on the game to go OVER the total.
Computer Predictions
My computer prediction for this game was that North Carolina would win by a score of 81.4 to 71.6 with North Carolina winning on the moneyline, Providence winning on the spread and the game going OVER the total.
Pro Picks
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Providence vs. North Carolina
9:40 PM Eastern
Final Score
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Lines & Odds
Public Consensus
Who was the public on? 61% of the public bets were on North Carolina Tar Heels on the -4.5 ATS. 55% of the public money was on Providence Friars to win on the moneyline. And, 68% of the bets were on the game to go OVER the total.
Computer Predictions
My computer prediction for this game was that North Carolina would win by a score of 73.7 to 69.3 with North Carolina winning on the moneyline, Providence winning on the spread and the game going OVER the total.
Pro Picks
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Providence vs. North Carolina
7:20 PM Eastern
Providence didn't impress in the Big East, finishing 10-8 before a surprising tourney run, sweeping the board in three games by a total of 21 points. This is a team that lost by 30 to Villanova and 79-65 to Kentucky of the SEC. The Friars are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games. This is largely an unremarkable team, finishing seventh in the 10-team Big East in field goal shooting defense and eighth in scoring defense. You need some kind of defense against uptempo North Carolina, a squad that started slow (0-3 ACC) and finished hot, winning 13 of the last 17. North Carolina rolled over the No. 3 team in the country (Louisville, 93-84), beat No. 1 Michigan State (79-65), beat No. 11 Kentucky (82-77), along with wins over Duke and Pitt, two more Top 25 teams. UNC has lost the last two games because Marcus Paige and James Michael McAdoo weren't getting enough touches, but with a full six days to prepare, they have time to correct and execute that mistake. North Carolina is 7-3 ATS against the Big East and 52-24-1 ATS in their last 77 games following a loss. Back the Tar Heels.
Final Score
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