It is a ranked on ranked ACC battle as North Carolina visits Clemson. It is time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a North Carolina-Clemson prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
North Carolina enters the game sitting at 10-3 on the year. They started 4-0 before falling by two to Villanova. Then, thye would knock off two ranked teams in Arkansas and Tennessee, plus a win over Florida State in ACC play before losing two straight to ranked teams. UNC would rebound, beating Oklahoma by 12 and then last time out, it was a 13-point win over Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Clemson enters the game sitting at 11-2 on the year. They started 9-0 before losing their first game of the year. They fell by just two to Memphis in the game. Clemson had the lead at half over Memphis, but the second half was back and forth after Memphis closed the deficit early. Memphis would hold on to take a two-point win 79-77. They would win the next two games but then fell in their second ACC game of the year, upset by Miami 95-82.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: North Carolina-Clemson Odds
North Carolina: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +100
Clemson: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 156.5 (-110)
Under: 156.5 (-110)
How to Watch North Carolina vs. Clemson
Time: 12:00 PM ET/ 9:00 AM PT
TV: ESPN2
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why North Carolina Will Cover The Spread
North Carolina ranks 11th in KenPom's adjusted efficiency rankings this year. They sit 11th in offensive efficiency while sitting 27th in defensive efficiency. North Carolina is 16th in points per game this year, and a big part of that is getting to the free throw line. They are ninth in the nation in free throw attempts per game, while sitting second in free throws made per game this year. RJ Davis leads the way for UNC this year. He comes into the game with 21.1 points per game this year, while also leading the team in threes. Davis has hit 39.6 percent of his three-point attempts this year. He also leads the team in assists with 3.6 per game.
Meanwhile, Armando Bacot is shooting great. He is shooting 52.8 percent from the field while scoring 14.9 points per game this year. The biggest part of his game is on the glass though, and is a huge help to North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina has been solid in rebounding, sitting 27th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game this year, while sitting 40th in overall rebounds per game. Bacot comes in with 10.8 rebounds per game. Adding to that is Harrison Ingram, who enters the game with seven rebounds per game while averaging 13.4 points per game.
North Carolina is 162nd in points allowed per game this year. They are also solid on the inside. North Carolina ranks 37th in blocks per game while sitting 78th in effective field goal percentage this year. Bacot, Ingram, and Davis are the leaders on defense as well. Bacot is averaging 1.9 blocks per game, while Davis and Ingram both average over one steal per game this year.
Why Clemson Will Cover The Spread
Clemson sits 24th in KenPom's adjusted efficiency rankings this year. They have been solid on offense, sitting 17th in offensive efficiency, but are 53rd in defensive efficiency. Clemson is 32nd in the nation in points per game this year, while sitting 19th in assists per game and 15th in assists to turnover ratio. Clemson is also the 11th-best three-point shooting team in the nation this year. PJ Hall leads the offense this year. He averages 20.2 points per game this year while hitting 37.9 percent of his three-point attempts. The big three-point threat is Joseph Girard III. He is hitting 45.2 percent of his threes this year, with 93 attempts. Girard is also scoring 15.8 points per game on the season, while leading the team in assists, with 3.8 per game.
Clemson is not the best rebounding team in the nation this year. They are 65th in the nation in rebounding this year, but they are 18th in the nation in defensive rebounding this year. PJ Hall has been solid in the rebounding game, with 6.5 rebounds per game. This is second on the team this year. The leader is Ian Schieffellin. He leads the team with 9.8 rebounds per game. Just over six of those rebounds per game come from the defensive side of the court.
On defense, Clemson is 145th in the nation in points allowed per game this year. PJ Hall leads the team on defense. He comes into the game with 2.2 blocks per game with 1.1 steals per game this year.
Final North Carolina-Clemson Prediction & Pick
North Carolina ranks better in efficiency rankings this year while scoring more per game. North Carolina is the better rebounding team as well. Still, Clemson is a better defensive team. They also can come back from deficits with their three-point shooting. The three-point shooting will be the difference in this game, as Clemson will be able to keep it close throughout, and when North Carolina presses out, they will drop it to PJ Hall on the inside. Regardless, the best play in this game is on the total. Take the over in a close, back and forth, game.
Final North Carolina-Clemson Prediction & Pick: Over 156.5 (-110)
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