The North Carolina Tar Heels (9-3) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Panthers (9-4) on Tuesday, January 2nd. This game will be played at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh and televised on ESPN. North Carolina is coming off a win in their previous game, while Pittsburgh is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Syracuse. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
North Carolina Tar Heels vs Pittsburgh Panthers
The North Carolina Tar Heels Are Coming Off A Win
After their most recent game, a 105-60 win over Charleston Southern, North Carolina now has a record of 9-3. In their last five road games, which includes games from last year, North Carolina has gone 2-3. In terms of their against the spread performance, North Carolina holds a 6-6 record heading into today’s game. On the road, the Tar Heels are 1-2 vs. the spread, while they are 5-4 at home ATS.
Through 12 games, North Carolina has an over/under record of 8-4-0 with their games averaging a combined 159.5 points per game so far. The Tar Heels’ last five games have finished with a combined 158 points per game and an over/under record of 3-2.
The Pittsburgh Panthers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Pittsburgh is set to play their 14th game of the season, coming in with a 9-4 record. The Panthers have a 2-1 record on the road and are 7-3 overall. Pittsburgh has a winning record against the spread, sitting at 7-5-1. In their last five games, they are 2-2-1 when it comes to covering the spread.
Looking at their over/under performance through 13 games, Pittsburgh has an over/under record of 9-4-0, with their games averaging 145.2 points per game on average. The Panthers’ last five games have finished with a combined 138 points per game and an over/under record of 3-2.
North Carolina Offense Breakdown
North Carolina’s offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 105 points against Charleston Southern. They had an overall field goal percentage of 56.2% and made 12/14 free throws. RJ Davis led the scoring for the Tar Heels, contributing 20 points. Additionally, Jalen Washington chipped in with 17 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Davis (G) | 21.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
| Armando Bacot (F) | 14.8 | 10.8 | 1.2 |
| Harrison Ingram (F) | 13.9 | 6.3 | 2.5 |
Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the Pittsburgh offense ended with 73 points against Syracuse. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 41.9% and made 10 threes. Offensively, the Panthers have a season long field goal percentage of 44%, which is 224th in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 173rd in percentage and 28th in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Hinson (F) | 19.5 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| Carlton Carrington (G) | 14.1 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Ishmael Leggett (G) | 13.2 | 6.1 | 2.8 |
North Carolina Team Defense
So far, the Tar Heels’ defense is ranked 188th in the country at 73.2 points per contest. In their most recent game, the North Carolina defense struggled to defend the three-point line, as Charleston Southern knocked down 11 three-pointers on their way to 60 points.
Pittsburgh Team Defense
Currently, the Panthers’ defense holds the 46th rank in the nation, allowing 64.8 points per game. So far, the Pittsburgh defense is giving up an average of 6.2 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 9.8 times per game (385th).
Tar Heels vs Panthers Trends
- In their last three games away from home, the Tar Heels have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 80 points per game in this stretch.
- In their last ten games at home, the Panthers have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 71 points per game in these contests.
- As the betting underdog, the Panthers have an ATS mark of just 0-3 in their last three games. Pittsburgh posted a straight up mark of 0-3 in these matchups.
- In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Tar Heels have a straight up record of 8-2 and an ATS mark of 6-4.
Tar Heels vs Panthers Prediction
The Panthers come in as the underdog at +3, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 156.5 and given that our model is projecting 141 points between the teams, we like 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:January 2, 2024 North Carolina Tar Heels, Pittsburgh Panthers, Teams