The North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0) travel to face off against the Kansas Jayhawks (1-0) on Friday, November 8th. This game will be played at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence and televised on ESPN2. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
North Carolina Tar Heels vs Kansas Jayhawks
The Tar Heels Are Coming Off A Win
North Carolina Tar Heels Recent Game/Games
North Carolina opened their season with a 90-76 win over Elon on Monday, November 4th. The Tar Heels were heavy favorites at -28.5, but they didn’t cover the spread. The game was played at home, and the total points of 166 exceeded the O/U line of 152.5.
UNC led 51-39 at halftime and outscored Elon 39-37 in the 2nd half. While they got the win, their inability to pull away from Elon, especially in the 2nd half, could be a concern moving forward.
The Jayhawks Are Coming Off A Win
Kansas opened their season with a dominant 87-57 win over Howard on Monday, November 4th. Playing at home, the Jayhawks were -27.5 point favorites and covered the spread with ease. The total points for the game were 144, falling short of the 155.5 O/U line.
Kansas jumped out to a 46-19 lead in the first half, but the Bison kept things closer in the second half, with Kansas outscoring them 41-38 after the break.
Tar Heels Offense Breakdown
North Carolina put up 90 points in their last game, shooting 40.5% from the field and 41.9% from three-point range, hitting 13 of 31 attempts from deep. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.1%, and they connected on 81.2% of their free throws, going 13 for 16 from the line.
RJ Davis led the way with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, despite shooting just 36.8% overall and 27.3% from three. Elliot Cadeau contributed 17 points and 8 assists, hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, while Nick Dorn also added 17 points, making 5 of 10 threes.
Jayhawks Offense Breakdown
Kansas put up 87 points in their last game, shooting 59.3% from the field and hitting 50% of their threes (11/22). Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 70.4%, with a 65.6% success rate on two-point attempts.
The Jayhawks dished out 20 assists, with Zeke Mayo leading the way with 19 points, hitting 5 of 8 from deep. Blake Harper and Hunter Dickinson each added 16 points, with Harper perfect from three (3/3) and Dickinson hitting his only attempt from beyond the arc.
Tar Heels Team Defense
North Carolina’s defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 40% from the field on 32 of 80 attempts. Inside the arc, they held their opponent to 39% shooting, as the other team made 19 of 48 two-point shots.
From three-point range, North Carolina allowed 13 made threes on 32 attempts, a 40% shooting performance. The opponent also went to the line 16 times, converting 13 free throws for an 81% success rate. The Tar Heels gave up 18 offensive rebounds in the game.
Jayhawks Team Defense
North Carolina’s defense gave up 76 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 40% from the field with 32 made baskets on 80 attempts. Inside the arc, the Tar Heels held their opponent to 39% shooting, with 19 made two-point shots on 48 attempts.
From beyond the arc, North Carolina’s defense allowed 13 threes on 32 attempts, a 40% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 13 for 81%. The Tar Heels gave up 18 offensive rebounds in the game.
Tar Heels vs Jayhawks Trends
- In their last ten games away from home, the Tar Heels have a straight up record of 8-2 while going 7-3 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 71 points per game in these contests.
- Although Kansas has a straight up record of 1-4 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-4. The team averaged 61 points per game in these games.
- The Tar Heels have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 2-1 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.
- In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Jayhawks have a strong straight up record of 4-1. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.
Tar Heels vs Jayhawks Prediction
For a point-spread wager in this Jayhawks vs. Jayhawks game, we suggest taking the Jayhawks at -7.5. Even though our predictions have the Jayhawks winning 75-71, we see the Tar Heels as the better choice on the point-spread.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 158.5 and our model has the Tar Heels and Jayhawks finishing with a combined 146 points. Our pick is to take the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:November 15, 2024 Kansas Jayhawks, North Carolina Tar Heels