The Pittsburgh Panthers (14-8) travel to face off against the North Carolina Tar Heels (13-10) on Saturday, February 8th. This game will be played at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill and televised on ESPNU. Both Pittsburgh and North Carolina will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 ET.

Pittsburgh Panthers vs North Carolina Tar Heels

The Panthers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Pittsburgh Panthers Recent Game/Games

Pittsburgh’s season record dropped to 14-8 after a 73-57 home loss to Virginia on Monday. The Panthers, who were -13 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 34-19 at halftime, Pitt scored 38 points in the 2nd half but allowed 39. The game’s total points of 130 narrowly missed the O/U line of 130.5.

The Tar Heels Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

North Carolina Tar Heels Recent Game/Games

North Carolina’s season record dropped to 13-10 after a tough 87-70 loss to Duke on Saturday. The Tar Heels were +13.5 point underdogs going into the game and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 157, exceeding the O/U line of 148.5.

UNC fell behind early, trailing 47-25 at halftime. They improved in the second half, scoring 45 points while allowing 40, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Pittsburgh’s offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 41.9%. They hit 6 of 20 from beyond the arc, shooting 30% from three-point range, and managed only 5 assists as a team.

Dai Dai Ames was a bright spot, scoring 27 points on 11 of 16 shooting, including 3 of 6 from deep. Ishmael Leggett added 17 points, shooting 7 of 11 from the field.

Tar Heels Offense Breakdown

North Carolina put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 47.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5%. They connected on 7 of 19 three-point attempts, shooting 36.8% from deep, and hit 78.6% of their free throws, going 11 for 14 at the line. The Tar Heels pulled down 12 offensive rebounds and dished out 11 assists as a team.

Kon Knueppel led the way with 22 points, shooting 63.6% from the field and 50% from three-point range, adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Cooper Flagg contributed 21 points, hitting 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and grabbing 8 rebounds with 7 assists. Tyrese Proctor added 17 points, shooting 50% overall and 40% from three.

Panthers Team Defense

Even though Pittsburgh allowed 73 points, they held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, with 18 made field goals on 43 attempts. Inside the arc, the Panthers gave up 12 two-point baskets on 23 attempts, a 52% conversion rate.

From three-point range, Pittsburgh’s defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 20 attempts, a 30% shooting performance. The Panthers also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they made 15, shooting 71%. Pittsburgh allowed 4 offensive rebounds in the game.

Tar Heels Team Defense

Despite Pittsburgh’s defense allowing 73 points, they held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field. The Panthers gave up 18 field goals on 43 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Pittsburgh’s defense allowed 6 threes on 20 attempts, with their opponent shooting 30%. At the free-throw line, Pittsburgh’s opponent went 15/21, shooting 71%.

Panthers vs Tar Heels Trends

• Although Pittsburgh has a straight up record of 4-6 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 4-6. The team averaged 69 points per game in these games.
• Although North Carolina has a straight up record of 2-3 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 0-4-1. The team averaged 67 points per game in these games.
• As the betting underdog, the Panthers have an ATS mark of just 1-2 in their last three games. Pittsburgh posted a straight up mark of 0-3 in these matchups.
• Through their previous three contests as the betting favorite, the Tar Heels have a strong record of 2-1. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 1-2.

Panthers vs Tar Heels Prediction

Not only do we have the Tar Heels winning this one by a score of 77-69, but we see them covering the spread. Our pick is to grab the Tar Heels at -4.5.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 154.5 and our model has the Panthers and Tar Heels 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.