The Pittsburgh Panthers (15-7) visit the North Carolina Tar Heels (15-6) on Wednesday night. Action tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Pitt-North Carolina prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Pitt has won four of their last five games and sits at 8-3 and in third place in the ACC. The Panthers covered 71% of their games while 59% went over the projected point total. North Carolina has won four straight to propel them to 7-3 and in fourth place in the ACC. The Tar Heels covered 37% of their games while 52% went under. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. Pitt won and covered earlier this season, just as they have in four of the last five meetings dating back to 2020.
Here are the Pitt-North Carolina college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Pitt-North Carolina Odds
Pitt: +8.5 (-110)
North Carolina: -8.5 (-110)
Over: 146.5 (-114)
Under: 146.5 (-106)
How To Watch Pitt vs. North Carolina
TV: ACC Network
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Pitt Could Cover The Spread
Pitt has been one of the surprise teams in the ACC as they sit in third place despite being picked 14th in the preseason poll. The Panthers bounced back after a disappointing non-conference slate that saw them drop games to West Virginia, Michigan, and VCU. Although, they did secure a 29-point road win at Northwestern. In conference play, Pitt has already defeated North Carolina, No. 6 Virginia, and No. 23 Miami. As a result, Pitt holds a solid place within the advanced metrics. The Panthers rank No. 68 in KenPom and No. 61 in NET. While they have gone 7-6 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 matchups, they do have a crippling Quad 4 loss. Pitt currently projects as one of the last four teams in and a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Pitt is a team built on their strong offense. The Panthers rank sixth in the ACC in scoring with an average of 74.3 PPG. They are a lethal three-point shooting team that is tied for second in the conference in threes per game (9.1 3PM/Game). Pitt is a solid rebounding team who is especially strong on the defensive glass. The Panthers rank 24th in the nation in defensive rebounding (25.7 DRPG).
Offensively, Pitt leans on junior forward Blake Hinson and senior guard Jamarius Burton. Hinson leads the team with 16.4 PPG, while Burton is right behind him with 16.1 PPG. Additionally, Burton's 4.8 APG ranks fourth in the ACC. Burton had one of the best games of his career in their earlier win over North Carolina. The 6'4″ guard scored 31 points on an incredible 14/17 shooting performance. Coming off a 19-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist outing against Miami, look for Burton to fill up the box score tonight.
The X-factor for Pitt tonight is big man Federiko Federiko. The 6'11 sophomore is a fearsome shot blocker who ranks third in the ACC with 1.8 blocks per game. Matched up with UNC's frontline, Federiko could swing tonight's spread with a big night.
Why North Carolina Could Cover The Spread
North Carolina had sky-high expectations following last year's runner-up finish, but they had a lackluster non-conference showing. The Tar Heels lost four consecutive games in late November, although they did take No. 4 Alabama to four overtime periods. They have bounced back since, however, and have notable wins over Ohio State and Michigan. They rank favorably within the advanced metrics, coming in at No. 32 in KenPom and No. 37 in NET. The Tar Heels currently project as a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
North Carolina is one of the best offensive teams in the country, ranking 23rd nationally in scoring (79.2 PPG). The Tar Heels do most of their damage in the paint and do an incredible job getting to the free-throw line. With 18.4 made free throws per game, North Carolina averages the third-most made free throws per game.
The high-powered UNC offense is led by big man Armando Bacot and his pair of veteran guards. Bacot ranks third in the ACC in scoring (17.9 PPG) while leading the conference in rebounding (11.4 RPG). He dropped 22 points and 13 rebounds in their earlier loss against Pitt and will likely be the primary focus yet again.
As for their guards, both RJ Davis (16.4 PPG) and Caleb Love (16.2 PPG) are capable scorers who can get hot at any moment. Love struggled in their last meeting with Pitt but has scored 15+ in three straight games and will look to bounce back tonight.
Final Pitt-Carolina Prediction & Pick
Pitt has owned UNC over the last few seasons. Getting 8.5 points seems like a no-brainer after their earlier win, and thus I'm riding with the Panthers tonight.
Final Pitt-North Carolina Prediction & Pick: Pitt -8.5 (-110)
Follow Us
Subscribe