Furman vs. UNC Odds
| Furman Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10 -110 | 156 -110o / -110u | +410 |
| North Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10 -110 | 156 -110o / -110u | -560 |
After a 3-0 start to start to begin the year, UNC ran into Purdue and Tennessee at the Hall of Fame Classic, losing both games. However, the Tar Heels have since won four straight, including wins over Michigan and Georgia Tech.
The Tar Heels will welcome Furman to the Dean Dome before another marquee matchup against UCLA on Saturday.
Furman comes in at 7-3 and winners of four of its last five. The Paladins have a win at Louisville under their belt this season. North Carolina will be the first of two Power 5 road games for Furman, as it will be at Mississippi State on Friday.
Furman and North Carolina have met 26 times, with the Tar Heels leading the all-time series 23-2. The last meeting was in the 1986-87 season, with UNC winning 95-65.
Furman Paladins
Furman has one of the best offenses in the country that you may have not have heard much about.
The Paladins average 83.9 points per game and rank 12th in scoring offense, 33rd in offensive rating and 59th in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Paladins are led by the trio of Alex Hunter, Jalen Slawson and Mike Bothwell.
Hunter is averaging 17.6 points per game and is one of the deadliest shooters in the country. He is shooting 47.6% from deep on 8.2 attempts per game.
Slawson stuffs the stat sheet and averages 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks and two steals per night. He is also making 63.9% of his two-point attempts.
Bothwell averages 16.4 points and is a 36% shooter from 3 on 4.7 attempts per game.
As a team, Furman takes nearly 30 3s per game (10th-most nationally) and is sixth in 3-pointers made per game (11.7) and 16th in 3-point percentage (39.4%).
Furman spreads its opponents out with three and often times four guard lineups. However, that can also hurt it on the defensive end. The Paladins only have one player 6-foot-9 or taller in their rotation.
Furman is allowing 75.9 points per game, which is 315th nationally. It also ranks 277th in defensive rating and 224th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
For an undersized team, Furman is not terrible on the glass. It out-rebounds its opponents by 0.9 boards per game. However, the Paladins will be at a significant size disadvantage against UNC.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Like Furman. UNC has had little trouble scoring this year. The Tar Heels are 34th in scoring offense and 13th in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Guard Caleb Love leads the team in scoring at 16.9 points per game and he has markedly improved his efficiency this year. Last year, Love had an eFG% of 36.8% and this year, he is up to 53.5%.
He is shooting 43.2% from 3 while backcourt mate R.J. Davis is shooting 48.7% from beyond the arc. Davis is averaging 13.9 points per game this season.
Center Armando Bacot anchors UNC's frontline and averages 14.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. He is making 63.1% of his two-point attempts.
Brady Manek is averaging 13 points and 5.8 rebounds and Dawson Garcia is averaging 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. Manek and Garcia are plus 3-point shooters — at 36 and 50% respectively — and allow UNC to have four-to-five shooters on the floor at all times.
The Tar Heels are sixth nationally in 3-point percentage at 41.7%.
Defense had been an issue for UNC this season, but it has held its last four opponents to 63 points or fewer. Granted, UNC has not played stellar offenses (UNC Asheville, Michigan, Georgia Tech and Elon), but it was coming off a stretch where it allowed 80 points in four consecutive games prior to that.
UNC currently ranks 74th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Furman vs. North Carolina Betting Pick
Furman and UNC will match up in a game between two of the nation's top-16 3-point shooting teams. If each team makes at least 10 treys, that would be 60 points to start with. That will get you about 40% toward the total just off 3s.
Bacot, Manek and Garcia will give the Tar Heels a big size advantage over the smaller Paladins. North Carolina out-rebounds its opponents by 10 boards per game. Should UNC have an off shooting night, it will be able to get on the glass and rack up second chance points.
Between the two teams, there are eight players averaging double figures and all are of capable of dropping 20 points. All of them won't score 20, but I am expecting a lot of points on the board.
I like the total over 152.5 and I would play it up to 155.
