Tag: tar heels

Notre Dame/North Carolina: Irish a Home Favorite

For what it’s worth (probably very little), Notre Dame has covered just once in their last eight games played on a Monday.

I know North Carolina is struggling this season and that Roy Williams pretty much told his team earlier this year that they were painful to watch, awful and every other negative adjective you could think.

I also know that that Tar Heels are just 9-15 since their opening night win over the Fighting Irish in November and have struggled mightily even with Cole Anthony (19.3 ppg) returning to the lineup.

But it’s still a rare day, or at least feels like one when Notre Dame is favored over North Carolina in basketball and that’s exactly what we have in the case of Monday night’s game.

Notre Dame is listed as a 2.5 point favorite over the Tar Heels tonight with the total set at 147.5.  A successful North Carolina money-line bet would pay +105.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USATODAY Sports Betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated February 17 at 11:15 a.m. ET

North Carolina defeated Notre Dame 76-65 to open the season on November 6 but has since struggled to a 10-15 overall record and a 3-11 ACC record, good for last place in the conference.

Notre Dame meanwhile enters 15-10 overall, 6-8 in conference and 12-3 on their home court this season.

Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN tonight.

For what it’s worth (probably very little), Notre Dame has covered just once in their last eight games played on a Monday.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.

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

WATCH: Roy Williams gives matter-of-fact assessment about team’s struggles

The Tar Heels are 8-6 coming off a home loss to Georgia Tech, in which UNC had the largest halftime deficit in the history of the Dean E. Smith Center.

It’s a wild season in college basketball, with numerous No. 1 teams toppling to prove it.

Roy William’s North Carolina squad, though, might be the blue blood team having the toughest go of it. The Tar Heels are 8-6 coming off a home loss to Georgia Tech, in which UNC had the largest halftime deficit in the history of the Dean E. Smith Center.

Williams’ assessment of where his program is right now isn’t sugar coating anything.

“We stunk, ok. We were not very good,” Williams said Monday on Roy Williams live!. “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.”

UNC has been dismantled with injury, beginning with the preseason. But a knee injury taking star freshman Cole Anthony out of the lineup in December was the toughest blow as it cost the team its leading scorer.

The Tar Heels were 6-3 then and have gone 2-3 since, leaving Williams frustrated. After Saturday’s loss, the coach said he was the “…Most upset, most disappointed I’ve ever been in my life coaching a basketball game.”

Williams has coached and won a lot… His 879th career win Dec. 30 moved him to fourth all-time in NCAA wins as a head coach and tied him with his mentor, Dean Smith, but edging Smith in the records seems to be the furthest thing from Williams’ mind as his team hits uninterrupted ACC play.

On cusp of career milestone, Roy Williams gives matter-of-fact assessment about team’s struggles and

The Tar Heels are 8-6 coming off a home loss to Georgia Tech, in which UNC had the largest halftime deficit in the history of the Dean E. Smith Center.

The Tar Heels are 8-6 coming off a home loss to Georgia Tech, in which UNC had the largest halftime deficit in the history of the Dean E. Smith Center.

Former coach Mack Brown wins bowl game with North Carolina

UNC faced off against the Temple in the Military Bowl. Coached by former UT head coach Mack Brown, they got their first bowl win since 2013.

After 15 seasons as the head coach of the Longhorns, Mack Brown was let go. Taking some time off and working as a studio analyst with ESPN, Brown was out of coaching for five years. He took the North Carolina job at the end of the 2018 season and has turned the program around.

After gaining bowl eligibility and dancing with his team in the locker room, the Tar Heels faced off against the Temple in the Military Bowl. Led by freshman quarterback Sam Howell, UNC demolished the Owls 55-13, getting their first bowl win since 2013.

After two straight seasons of nine losses in 2017 and 2018, Brown has come in and instantly changed the culture at North Carolina. With this being his second stint with the school, they are used to winning with Brown, getting 10 wins three times.

Ending the season at 7-6, the bowl win is the highlight of the Tar Heel season. The second best moment came when they nearly defeated now ACC Champions Clemson, but came up short on a two-point conversion.

UNC will be a dark horse candidate in the ACC next season and they have Mack Brown to thank for that. As Longhorns Wire’s Head Coach of the Decade, watching Brown succeed is always good to see.

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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.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

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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North Carolina-Pittsburgh odds: Panthers favored in Thursday nighter

Previewing Thursday’s North Carolina Tar Heels at Pittsburgh Panthers college football matchup, with NCAA football betting odds, picks and best bets

The North Carolina Tar Heels (4-5, 3-3 ACC Coastal) visit Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers (6-3, 3-2) Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

We analyze the North Carolina-Pittsburgh odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

North Carolina at Pittsburgh: Three things you need to know

1. Pittsburgh has been good to Against the Spread (ATS) bettors this season, going 6-3. The Panthers are now eight games over .500 ATS since 2017. Saturday’s contest marks just the second Pitt has had at home since Sept. 28. Two games back, the Panthers lost at home to Miami 16-12. In that one, Pitt outgained UM by more than 100 yards, but the Panthers were a -2 in turnovers. The Hurricanes prevailed on a pair of short-field scores.

2. For the season, the Panthers are a -5 in TO margin. Turnover analytics peg Pitt as being among the unluckiest teams in FBS. North Carolina has done well to only have nine giveaways on the year — especially with freshman Sam Howell at quarterback.

3. The Tar Heels have acquitted themselves well on the road, but they perhaps have some close-game fatigue and one can see a night game getting into Pitt control and having the Panthers prevail on some extra energy. UNC has played eight one-score games this season (3-5 SU); that includes a six-overtime game Oct. 19.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

North Carolina at Pittsburgh: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 8:25 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Pittsburgh 31, North Carolina 20

Moneyline (ML)

AVOID the Pittsburgh -200 line.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Pitt returns a profit of $5 – every $1 wagered profits $0.50 (1 divided by 2.00) with a Panthers straight-up win.

Against the Spread (ATS)

PITTSBURGH -3.5 (-115) is a solid play in this ACC game. The Panthers and Tar Heels are even talent-wise. The most elite unit on the field, however, will be a Pitt defense allowing just 4.2 YPP (5th — FBS). The worst unit, yes, will be the Panther offense. But it’s a Panther offense playing a night game at home and one some indicators point to as undercooked in delivering big plays and more efficiency.

Plus, UNC has some injury questions in key areas — offensive line and defensive backfield — play into the confidence on this side.

Over/Under (O/U)

This sets up as a game for the Panthers to get out of their 20-point shadow on offense. Pitt does indeed rank 111th in the nation in scoring (20.9 PPG), but new OC Mark Whipple has seen his offense go up against five FBS top-40 defensive teams. UNC has coughed up 9.6 yards per pass attempt in three of the last four games. The Panther defense ranks ninth in the nation in yards allowed (280 YPG); Pitt yields just 86 YPG on the ground (5th — FBS).

Even in calling for some regression in much of Pitts’ offensive efforts, I’m going to STAY AWAY from what looks like a fair O/U figure. A lean on 50.5 (-110) is mitigated by the solid possibility of a Pitt-in-control boat race.

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.

Follow @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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