Syracuse vs. North Carolina Prediction and Odds (Bet Tar Heels at Home)
By Reed Wallach
North Carolina hosts Syracuse on Monday night to kick off the final week of ACC regular season action.
The Tar Heels are trying to cement a bid to the NCAA Tournament with another home win over a conference foe while Syracuse's season is likely heading towards an NIT Tournament berth if not for some magic in the ACC Tournament. Can they pull an upset on Monday night?
Here are the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook.
Syracuse vs. North Carolina Odds, Spread and Total
Spread:
- Syracuse: +7.5 (-110)
- North Carolina: -7.5 (-110)
Moneyline:
- Syracuse: +270
- North Carolina: -340
Total: 157 (Over -110/Under -110)
Syracuse vs. North Carolina Prediction and Pick
This could be a look ahead spot for the Tar Heels, who play at Duke on Saturday in the regular season finale, but I think their size and dominant home court play is too much for the Orange.
Syracuse's zone defense has been gashed at times this season and Armando Bacot provides enough rebounding prowess to overwhelm the opposite. The Orange are bottom 20 nationally in defensive rebounding rate while Bacot is 37th in the country in offensive rebounding rate.
Jim Boeheim's team is an elite 3-point shooting team, but I do trust the length and speed of the Tar Heels to challenge them and make it one-and-done given UNC's top five defensive rebounding unit nationally.
The hosts have beaten ACC foes that are outside the KenPom's top 75 by over 14 points per game and boast a top 10 home court rating per Haslemetrics. There's something special at the Dean Dome for the Heels, who have been able to win with margin at home against inferior competition.
Not to mention, Syracuse is bottom 20 in away rating as the team struggles to travel and matchup very poorly with the Tar Heels. This is setting up for a blowout win for UNC.
PICK: North Carolina -7.5, play to -8.5
All of Reed's college basketball plays can be tracked here, his best bets column for college basketball is 75-73-3 for -1.75 units.