Pittsburgh Hosts No. 8 UNC, Hoping to Avoid 0-3 ACC Start
UNC vs Pittsburgh Odds: Tar Heels Climb to 4-Point Favorites
As the calendar turns to 2024, North Carolina looks like a legitimate contender. And with ACC play starting to ramp up, the No. 8 Tar Heels will have more and more opportunities to bolster their resume for March. Next up on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET) is the Tar Heels’ first true road game of the NCAAB season.
North Carolina opened as a 2.5-point favorite, but had climbed to -4 as of Tuesday morning. The Tar Heels are also -190 on the moneyline, with Pittsburgh coming in at +165 to win outright. Meanwhile, the Over/Under is up to 157.5, the highest projected total for any Pittsburgh game this season.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both teams and analyze the UNC vs Pittsburgh odds.
North Carolina vs Pittsburgh 
Day/Time:
Location: Petersen Events Center; Pittsburgh
Stream ESPN
Betting Trends
The North Carolina Tar Heels are 6-6 ATS. The Tar Heels have gone Over the projected total in seven of their last nine games and eight of 12 overall. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Panthers are 7-5-1 ATS, including 5-3-1 at home. They’re also 8-5 against the Over/Under, having gone Over the projected total in four of their last six games. Keep that in mind when assessing the UNC vs Pittsburgh odds.
Road Trippin’
North Carolina will play its first true road game of the season after going 9-3 with a 3-3 mark in neutral-site games. The eighth-ranked Tar Heels are coming off a 105-60 victory over Charleston Southern on Friday. RJ Davis posted 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Tar Heels, 30.5-point favorites, covered for the second straight game.
Davis has led North Carolina in scoring in eight consecutive games and is averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game. The senior guard is also shooting 44.2%, including 38.9% from 3. Senior forward Armando Bacot is averaging 14.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
The Tar Heels are 3-2 against ranked opponents per NCAAB scores, having lost to UConn and Kentucky at off-campus sites. Oddsmakers remain bullish on the Tar Heels, pricing them +700 to make the Final Four and +3000 to win it all. They’re one of 14 schools with NCAA title odds of 30/1 or better.
North Carolina has been favored in nearly every NCAAB game this season, with the exception of its 87-76 loss to UConn at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Tar Heels have covered in two straight games but are just 6-6 ATS, making them somewhat difficult for bettors to trust. That’s important to remember when analyzing the UNC vs Pittsburgh odds.
Slow Beginnings
Pittsburgh will look to avoid an 0-3 start to ACC play when it hosts North Carolina. The Panthers (9-4) are coming off an 81-73 loss to Syracuse on Saturday, in which they were a 1-point underdog.
The Panthers are 7-2 at home, including 5-3-1 ATS. They’ve covered in three straight home games but will be facing a ranked opponent for the first time this season.
Although the Panthers have made strides under Jeff Capel, they’re still a longshot to do anything substantial this year. The Panthers are +5000 to make the Final Four and own NCAA title odds of +2500. The program is coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015-16.
The Panthers have been favored in 11 of their 13 games, with the exception of losses to Florida (+5) and Syracuse (+1). They covered in each of their first four games but are just 3-6 ATS since. Notably, the Panthers have gone Over the projected total in six of their nine games at home.
Senior forward Blake Hinson is the Panthers’ top scorer, averaging 19.5 points on 46.1% shooting, including 43.8% from 3. Junior guard Ishmael Leggett, a transfer from Rhode Island, is averaging 13.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals. The Panthers are averaging 80.5 points as a team and have outscored opponents by 15.7 points per game.
Handicapping the Game
Pittsburgh may be 9-4, but it’s yet to record a win of much substance. It has the opportunity to change that when it hosts the perennial power Tar Heels. The Panthers will also play No. 14 Duke twice this month, including next Tuesday at home.
With its senior-laden roster, North Carolina has been impressive in the early going. It’s one of three ranked ACC teams, but the only one inside the top 10.
Conference road games are often difficult and can help level the competition. That said, North Carolina’s experience should pay dividends in a tough environment. Bettors should be reminded of that when making their NCAAB picks.
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