The featured game on ESPN's college basketball action will come between two hungry teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The North Carolina Tar Heels (15-8) will face off against an evenly matched opponent in the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (15-9). ESPN coverage will be live from Winston-Salem, North Carolina for this in-state tilt. Check out our college basketball odds series for our North Carolina-Wake Forest prediction and pick.
The North Carolina Tar Heels enjoyed a recent four-game win streak, but have since lost their last two games, including dropping their rivalry game to Duke. They find themselves in an unfamiliar spot among the middle of the ACC standings. Their opponents tonight sit just a half-game back of them, so a win tonight will be pivotal for UNC's hopes to stay atop the tight ACC race.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have been a newfound force in the ACC this year. At 7-6, they're only three games behind conference leading Clemson and have been able to beat rivals throughout the season. They're 1-4 in their last five games and dropped their first meeting with North Carolina 88-79. The Deacons will look for revenge as they host UNC in their home building.
Here are the North Carolina-Wake Forest college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: North Carolina-Wake Forest Odds
North Carolina: EVEN (-110)
Wake Forest: EVEN (-110)
Over: 153.5 (-115)
Under: 153.5 (-105)
How To Watch North Carolina vs. Wake Forest
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV, ESPN App
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 3:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why North Carolina Could Cover The Spread
North Carolina simply couldn't stop Duke their last time out as two of the Blue Devils enjoyed career-high nights. North Carolina's defense has been spotty at time this year and they've allowed opponents to get back into games. They continue to be led by Armando Bacot, who will have a good matchup down low tonight. Look for Bacot to work the ball inside and draw fouls. North Carolina will want to slow this game down and frustrate the Wake Forest crowd. The more times they can convert on the free throw line, the more it'll take the Deacons out of this game.
North Carolina has been bad at covering the spread this season at 6-17 overall. They're only 1-6 ATS when playing on the road, but enjoy an 8-2 record against Wake forest in their recent meetings. Historically, North Carolina has owned this in-state rivalry and will look to continue their trends after suffering an in-state loss to Duke. It seems like the perfect game for the Tar Heels to get back on track, but Wake Forest will be a stingy opponent to do it against.
Why Wake Forest Could Cover The Spread
Each of Wake Forest's last three losses to Duke, NC State, and Pitt were all by a margin of two points. The Deacons have been keeping it close against some of the ACC's best, but have not had luck with converting those hard-fought games to wins. They'd like to improve their 7-6 conference record with a win over an in-state rival. This game will be especially important for Wake Forest this year as they've been able to matchup up better with UNC this year than in years prior.
While they've gone 2-8 in their last 10 against North Carolina, Wake Forest has gone 7-3 ATS in those games. They're covering to the tune of 14-10 ATS on the year and are 10-2 SU when playing at home in Winston-Salem. They'll hope that their crowd can show up in full force as the Deacons will have their pride on the line.
Final North Carolina-Wake Forest Prediction & Pick
While both teams have been somewhat inconsistent, North Carolina seems to be more reliable through those inconsistencies. They have an identity as a team and have been playing better as of late than Wake Forest. This will be a close battle, but I like North Carolina with the pick in a primetime spot they usually show up for.
Final North Carolina-Wake Forest Prediction & Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels ML (-110)
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