Tag: north carolina tar heels

Tre Jones saves Duke with miraculous buzzer-beater to force OT vs. UNC

This was wild.

Duke and North Carolina played a thriller in Chapel Hill on Saturday, and Tre Jones delivered one of the wildest highlights in the history of the rivalry to force overtime and complete a miraculous Duke comeback.

North Carolina shot above 50 percent from the game and led throughout, and had Duke on the ropes late in the second half, leading by 10 with 2:18 remaining in the game.

Point guard Tre Jones led a furious Duke comeback to give the Blue Devils a chance, but he needed a miracle just to force OT. Up 84-82, North Carolina fouled Jones with 4.4 seconds remaining to prevent Duke from hitting a game-winning three. Jones made his first free-throw, and intentionally missed the second to try and create an opportunity to tie or win the game – and executed the play to perfection.

Jones heaved the ball off the back of the rim to himself, managed to avoid turning the ball over, and hit a buzzer-beater to stun the crowd in Chapel Hill.

Former Duke players watching the game couldn’t believe it.

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Duke Blue Devils at North Carolina Tar Heels college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Duke Blue Devils at North Carolina Tar Heels sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and tips.

The Duke Blue Devils (19-3) head to Chapel Hill to play their longtime rival, the North Carolina Tar Heels (10-12), in the Dean E. Smith Center at 6:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Duke-North Carolina odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Duke at North Carolina: Three things you need to know

  1. Duke versus North Carolina is one of college basketball’s most storied rivalries. Today will be the 250th meeting between the two schools and the Tar Heels lead the Blue Devils in the all-time series, 138-111.
  2. This North Carolina team is on pace to be the worst Tar Heel team of the Roy Williams era. The Tar Heels have made the NCAA Tournament in 16 of Williams’ 17 seasons at the helm and have never finished below .500.
  3. The Blue Devils come into today’s game on a four-game winning streak after taking back-to-back losses to the Louisville Cardinals and Clemson Tigers. Their star freshman center, Vernon Carey Jr., averaged 20 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in those four wins.

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Duke at North Carolina: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

UNC 73, Duke 70

Moneyline (ML)

This is a fringe play, but let’s SPRINKLE A SMALL WAGER ON NORTH CAROLINA +280 on the money line. From a recruiting standpoint, Duke does have a talent advantage: The Blue Devils have eight RSCI top-100 recruits compared to the Tar Heels’ five top-100 recruits. But North Carolina has the most prized recruit out of the two teams in PG Cole Anthony, who should be a top-5 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. Between he and PF Garrison Brooks—who’s averaging 14.9 points and nine rebounds per game make him a difficult matchup for Duke’s Carey Jr.—the Tar Heels have real money line value in the Smith Center. 

Against the Spread (ATS)

Betting trends are in favor of BETTING NORTH CAROLINA +8 (-115). First, the Tar Heels are 5-1 against the spread in their last six meetings versus Duke. Second, North Carolina is 4-3 ATS on the road against above .500 teams and 1-0 ATS when getting 7.5-9.5 points. Since 2015, North Carolina’s ACC conference game ATS record is better than Duke’s—the Tar Heels are 52-42-2 ATS, while the Blue Devils are 44-50-2 ATS against ACC competition.

Over/Under (O/U)

We are on the UNDER 150.5 (-115) in North Carolina-Duke. The Under correlates with our Tar Heels money line and ATS picks because they have the most Unders in the ACC with a 7-14-1 Over/Under record. Also, the last six North Carolina-Duke games have gone Under. 

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Duke and UNC are wearing ghastly alternate uniforms for rivalry game

This is a terrible look.

Duke vs. North Carolina is the best rivalry in college sports, but when both teams take the floor Saturday night at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, they’ll be wearing some of the worst jerseys you’ll see all season.

Duke and North Carolina have iconic primary uniforms, but to commemorate the 100th year of the rivalry, each team is wearing a special alternate uniform inspired by the jerseys worn when UNC defeated what was then called Trinity College in their first meeting in 1920. As it turns out, uniform designers weren’t doing a great job 100 years ago.

Duke and North Carolina will each be wearing their respective shade of blue on Saturday, which should make for a visual reminiscent of NFL color rush matchups.

It’s possible that Duke may have introduced both the best and worst uniforms in program history this year. The Blue Devils’ “Brotherhood” alternates are phenomenal, but the rivalry alternates should never be worn again.

Duke vs. UNC will start at 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Clemson snaps 0-59 streak in Chapel Hill, stuns North Carolina in OT

Clemson beat North Carolina on the road for the first time ever on Saturday.

The Clemson Tigers came to Chapel Hill on Saturday knowing they had arguably the best chance in program history to win inside the Dean Smith Center, with the injury-plagued North Carolina Tar Heels struggling mightily early in the season.

Clemson had never won a road game at North Carolina in 59 previous meetings, but thanks to the heroics of junior forward Aamir Simms, who forced overtime with a clutch last-second three in regulation, the Tigers pulled off a historic upset.

Clemson trailed by 10 points at halftime, and the Tar Heels remained in control of the game for the majority of the second half. North Carolina led by 10, 68-58, with two minutes remaining in the game – but Simms ended the game on a personal 9-2 run. With the clock running and the Tigers down three points, Roy Williams elected not to foul and deny a three-point opportunity, and Simms buried a game-tying shot with three seconds remaining. In overtime, Simms hit a driving shot with 18 seconds left to put the Tigers up by three, and the Tar Heels were unable to answer.

For the first time ever, Clemson players were able to celebrate a win on the road against one of college basketball’s greatest programs.

 

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Roy Williams dunks on his struggling Tar Heels team: ‘This is not a very gifted team’

Roy Williams isn’t happy with what he called the “least gifted team” he’s ever coached at North Carolina.

North Carolina began the college basketball season ranked 11th in the coaches poll and 9th in the AP top-25, but Roy Williams’ Tar Heels have gone 1-3 against ranked teams and are 1-2 in the ACC to start the year. With star Cole Anthony out with a knee injury, it’s possible that North Carolina (8-6) could go on to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010, barring a mid-season turnaround.

Over the weekend, the Tar Heels suffered an embarrassing loss on their own floor to Georgia Tech, falling behind by 20 at halftime in a game they eventually lost 96-83. On his radio show earlier this week, coach Williams called out his team, and labeled them the “least gifted” squad he’s ever coached in Chapel Hill.

Via 24/7 Sports:

“God almighty, they outscored us in the paint, 58-36. They shot 60 percent. We shot 42. How many different reasons – we sucked! Excuse me, we stunk. We were not very good. The crazy thing about it is our team, and we’ve had some very gifted teams, this is not a very gifted team. It’s just not. Two freshmen replace Coby (White) and Nassir (Little) with Armando (Bacot) and Cole (Anthony) and with Cole being hurt right now it’s sort of a decent trade, but that’s not that bad a trade. But Kenny (Williams), Cam (Johnson) and Luke (Maye), there’s nobody to replace those guys.

“So, it’s probably the least gifted team I have ever coached in the time that I’ve been back here. So, if you’re going to be like that, you need to bring your A-game even though your A-game might not even be an A-game.”

North Carolina still has five matchups against ranked ACC teams on the schedule not including the ACC Tournament, including the two annual meetings with Duke, so the Tar Heels have plenty of chances to score marquee victories and improve their resume. Williams’ “tell your players they suck” approach may not be the best motivational tactic, but time will tell.

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Military Bowl: North Carolina vs. Temple odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Military Bowl between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Temple Owls, with betting odds, picks, tips and best bets.

The North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6) and Temple Owls (8-4) do battle at the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman Friday. Kickoff at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. is set for 12 p.m. ET. We analyze the North Carolina-Temple odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

North Carolina vs. Temple: Three things you need to know

1. UNC has a fairly extensive bowl history dating back to the 1947 Sugar Bowl. The Tar Heels made four bowl appearances under head coach Mack Brown in his first tenure in Chapel Hill, going 3-1 from 1993-1997. The last time they faced an AAC team in a bowl game they dusted Cincinnati 39-17 at the Belk Bowl Dec. 28, 2013.

2. Temple will be appearing in its ninth-ever bowl game, posting a 3-5 straight-up record in its previous eight postseason showings. The Owls fell to Duke by a 56-27 score in the Independence Bowl last season. They spanked Florida International 28-3 in the Gasparilla Bowl the previous year, and this is the fifth straight year the Owls have appeared in a bowl, going 1-3 SU in the previous four.

3. Temple didn’t play in Annapolis this season, but it won at Navy by a 24-17 score Oct. 13, 2018, and the Owls have won and covered in each of their past two games at NMCMS, albeit vs. Navy. Still, they’re comfortable here.

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North Carolina vs. Temple: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

North Carolina 33, Temple 27

Moneyline (ML)

North Carolina (-200) was rolling offensively down the stretch, including a total of 97 in its final two games against FCS Mercer and rival North Carolina State. Still, a 2-to-1 investment on the moneyline isn’t a good idea. PASS and bet the spread instead.

Against the Spread (ATS)

NORTH CAROLINA (-4.5, -110) is in line for a cover. The Tar Heels have scored 27 or more points in four straight games, and in six of their past seven, and they’re rolling offensively. Defensively, they allowed just 17 points in the final two outings.

Temple (+4.5, -110) has had success in Annapolis before, yes, but the Owls haven’t faced a Power 5 team like UNC there before. The Owls were a lot more prolific offensively when they were at home. On the road, they averaged just 20.0 points per game in five games while posting 32.7 PPG in seven home contests.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 52.5 (-115) is a nice play in this one. The Over is 8-3 in UNC’s past 11 against winning teams, and 5-2 in Temple’s past seven showings at a neutral site.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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After six years, Ohio State basketball held its own in the CBS Sports Classic

The Ohio State basketball program held its own against other blue-bloods of college basketball during the history of the CBS Sports Classic

When the CBS Sports Classic was first announced as a three-year run from 2014 through 2016, many asked which of these things don’t belong. The deal with the whole event was to pit some of the most dominant programs in college basketball history against one another in a round robin, three-year tournament.

But many asked why Ohio State was put among blue bloods Kentucky, UCLA, and North Carolina. I mean, the Buckeyes are a football school right, and lack the pedigree of those three dominant programs?

Well, yes, and no.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll continue to say it until we’re blue (but not Carolina or Kentucky blue) in the face. If it weren’t for football, Ohio State might be known as a basketball school.

The Buckeyes only have one national title to their credit, but they have as many Big Ten championships as any team in the conference when adding together regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles. Ohio Sate is also tied for sixth in Final Fours in the history of the sport, and have a slew of NCAA appearances and wins — even some national players of the year to boast about.

So, it should be no surprise then that Ohio State backed up that history with a respectable showing against those three other schools after the CBS Sports Classic was extended to six years, the last of which just ended this past weekend.

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It was an up and down affair to be sure over that time, but with the win over Kentucky on Saturday, OSU finished with a 3-3 record, second only to North Carolina who went 4-2. The Wildcats tied Ohio State with a 3-3 record, while UCLA had the worst showing of the four schools with a 2-4 record over the six years.

Here’s how the Buckeyes fared against each:

Kentucky: OSU went 2-0 (wins in 2015 and 2019)
UCLA: OSU went 1-1 (lost in 2016, won in 2018)
North Carolina: OSU went 0-2 (lost in 2014 and 2017)

And what about Chris Holtmann? He’s done well for himself going 2-1, with the lone loss coming to North Carolina in 2017.

There’s been no news about extending the event for another three years, but it sure was a fun tournament to showcase Ohio State over the last six years. We’ll have to see if CBS liked it enough, and if the four programs believe it fits into their scheduling philosophy going forward.

Not bad for a football school eh?

North Carolina at Gonzaga odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s North Carolina Tar Heels at Gonzaga Bulldogs betting odds and lines, with NCAA basketball betting picks and tips.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs (11-1, 0-0 WCC) and North Carolina Tar Heels (6-4, 1-1 ACC) battle at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Wash. at 9 p.m. ET. We analyze the North Carolina-Gonzaga odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

North Carolina at Gonzaga: Three things you need to know

1. The Tar Heels are injury ravaged, as all kinds of key personnel are fighting through injury to play or they’re sidelined. Star Cole Anthony (knee) will miss at least four weeks due to arthroscopic knee surgery, while G Leaky Black (foot) is battling through a sprained right foot.

2. UNC is on a three-game winning streak in this series, going 3-1 all-time vs. Gonzaga.

3. Gonzaga enters as the much healthier team. F Filip Petrusev leads the team with 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game.

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North Carolina at Gonzaga: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:00 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Gonzaga 84, North Carolina 63

Moneyline (ML)

Gonzaga (-667) is an overwhelming favorite to beat the banged-up and struggling visitors from North Carolina (+475), but you can’t risk nearly seven times the return. Look to the spread instead.

A $10 bet on the Bulldogs to win outright would return a profit of just $1.50.

Against the Spread (ATS)

GONZAGA (-10.5, -134) remembers the 103-90 beating it took against North Carolina (+10.5, +110) the last time these teams faced. The Bulldogs are not going to feel sorry for UNC’s injury woes and poor shooting from the perimeter. Look for the Bulldogs to house the Tar Heels in this one.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 145.5 (-106) is a nice small-unit play, especially as part of a parlay. The only concern with the Over is whether or not the Tar Heels can generate enough offense in a potential blowout. They rank 310th in the nation in 3-point shooting, and that’s a huge concern.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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North Carolina at Virginia odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Cavaliers college basketball matchup, with NCAA basketball betting odds, picks and best bets

The North Carolina Tar Heels (6-2) square off with the Virginia Cavaliers (7-1) in the ACC opener for both at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va., Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. We analyze the North Carolina-Virginia odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

The Cavaliers are ranked second in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. The Tar Heels are No. 7.

North Carolina at Virginia: Three things you need to know

1. UNC is looking to bounce back after taking it on the chin Wednesday at the Smith Center, falling to No. 6 Ohio State 74-49.

2. The Tar Heels are 1-6 ATS across the past seven games overall, and 1-4 ATS in the past five on the road.

3. Virginia is 0-6 ATS in the past six games overall, and 0-4 ATS in the past four against winning teams. Something’s gotta give in this one.

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North Carolina at Virginia: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Virginia 64, North Carolina 61

Moneyline (ML)

Virginia (-250) is a little steep on the moneyline, and North Carolina (+200) cannot be trusted after their showing Wednesday. Plus, UNC will be without super frosh F Armando Bacot (ankle), as he is expected to be out indefinitely.

Against the Spread (ATS)

NORTH CAROLINA (+3.5, +115) will be catching a few points in this one, and even though it’s shorthanded, it will be able to keep Virginia within arm’s length. The Cavaliers (-3.5, -139) don’t blow anyone out, and they play a slow, deliberate style which keeps the opposition in it even when they’re not playing their best. Take UNC and the points.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on UNC to win by at least four points returns a profit of $9.09.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. The O/U 115.5 (+115, -139) is so low based on Virginia’s deliberate style. The Under is 4-0 in UNC’s past four on the road, and 25-9 in the past 34 overall. For UVA, the Under is 6-2 in the past eight overall, and 7-3 in the past 10 at JPJ. If there is a slight lean on the total, it’s to the ‘Over.’

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ohio State is the best basketball team in the country according to KenPom

The Ohio State Buckeyes are now the top team in the country according to the widely-respected Pomeroy rankings.

According to the widely-respected Ken Pomery ratings, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team is the top team in the country. The Buckeyes were No. 2 behind Louisville after thumping North Carolina last week. Now, though, after another decisive victory over a solid team (KenPom has the Nittany Lions at No. 26 currently), the Buckeyes are the top team in the country.

Pomeroy has the Buckeyes as the fifth-best offense in the country (opponent-adjusted efficiency) and the second-best defense. The Buckeyes are the only team in the Top 5 in both metrics, and trail only overall No. 10 Virginia in defensive efficiency. (It should not surprise anyone that Virginia is the best defense in the country, and by a decent margin.) It’s might be a mild surprise to Ohio State fans, but KenPom does think that the Buckeyes play one of the slowest paces in the country–as his ratings have Ohio State outside the Top 300 in opponent-adjusted Tempo.

The Buckeyes still trail Duke in ESPN’s BPI ratings, though that should change shortly as well. Ohio State was No. 6 in the human rankings coming into this week, but it will be shocking if the Buckeyes are anything less than No. 2 (potentially behind Louisville) when the new polls come out in a few days.

Ohio State’s next major test is against KenPom No. 7 Kentucky in Las Vegas on Saturday, December 21st.