The North Carolina Tar Heels (19-5) travel to face off against the Syracuse Orange (15-9) on Tuesday, February 13th. This game will be played at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse and televised on ESPN. North Carolina is coming off a win in their previous game, while Syracuse is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Clemson. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
North Carolina Tar Heels vs Syracuse Orange
The North Carolina Tar Heels Are Coming Off A Win
North Carolina has been dominant at home this season, going 12-2 with an average scoring margin of +16.9 points per game. However, they have also been strong on the road, going 7-3 with an average scoring margin of +5.2 points per game.
So far this season, the Tar Heels are 18-4 when favored, compared to just 1-1 when they are the underdog. For the season, they have an overall record of 19-5.
North Carolina’s ATS mark for the season is 14-10, and they have gone 13-9 vs. the spread when favored. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Tar Heels are 6-4 ATS. On the road, their ATS record is 6-4 this season and 1-2 over their last three away from Chapel Hill.
North Carolina’s over/under record this season sits at 12-12, and today’s over/under line of 156.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (154). So far, 14 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 with an average scoring total of 159 points.
The Syracuse Orange Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
After losing to Clemson by a score of 77-68, the Syracuse Orange have a 15-9 record on the season, including a 6-7 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Syracuse has been much better at home, going 12-3 compared to 3-6 on the road. Over their last 10 games at home, the Orange are 8-2.
As the underdog, Syracuse is just 2-8 this season, and they are 2-1 in their last three games at home. For the year, they have been the favorite in 14 of their 24 games, going 13-1 in those contests. On the road, the Orange have lost two straight, and their average scoring margin away from home is -6.6 points per game.
As the underdog, Syracuse has struggled against the spread this season, going just 2-8 in their 10 games as the underdog. Their overall ATS record for the year is just 9-15, including a 6-9 mark at home. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Orange have gone 2-8 vs. the spread.
This season, the over/under record in Syracuse games is 12-12, and today’s line of 156.5 is higher than the average OU line in their games (150.9). So far, 19 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s OU line. In their last three games, the average scoring total is 166 points, and over their last five games, the average is 158 points.
North Carolina Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the North Carolina offense ended with 75 points against Miami (FL). They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 40.7% and made 11 threes. The team’s top scorer is RJ Davis, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 21.5, while Armando Bacot also maintains a PPG average of 14.2 leading up to the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Davis (G) | 21.5 | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| Armando Bacot (F) | 14.2 | 10.2 | 1.5 |
| Harrison Ingram (F) | 12.5 | 8.7 | 2.2 |
Syracuse Offense Breakdown
The Syracuse offense is coming off a game where they scored 68 points against Clemson. They posted a field goal percentage of 39.1% and connected on 7 threes. One area that the Syracuse offense has been good this season is getting to the line. Currently, they are 151st in free-throw attempts per contest. Overall, they have a field goal percentage of 44%.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judah Mintz (G) | 18.2 | 3.1 | 4.6 |
| J.J. Starling (G) | 13.2 | 3.2 | 1.9 |
| Chris Bell (F) | 11.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 |
North Carolina Team Defense
At present, the Tar Heels’ defense is nationally ranked 129th, allowing 70.4 points per game. Against Miami (FL) in their most recent game, the North Carolina defense gave up a total of 72 points while allowing Miami (FL) to hit 42% of their shots.
Syracuse Team Defense
At present, the Orange’s defense is nationally ranked 235th, allowing 74.5 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Syracuse’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 45.3% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 34.9% this season.
Tar Heels vs Orange Trends
- In their last three games away from home, the Tar Heels have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team averaged 74 points per game in this stretch.
- In their last ten games at home, the Orange have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 3-7 vs. the spread. The team averaged 73 points per game in this stretch.
- Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Orange have gone 1-4 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Tar Heels have gone 6-4 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 8-2.
Tar Heels vs Orange Prediction
As the underdogs with a spread of +7.5, we recommend going with the Orange on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 156.5 and our model has the Tar Heels and Orange finishing with a combined 142 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:February 13, 2024 North Carolina Tar Heels, Syracuse Orange