Butler vs. North Carolina Pick
Will No. 1 North Carolina have any trouble with No. 4 Butler when the two meet up today in the NCAA Tournament at 7:09PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, UNC is the favorite in this game, as the Tar Heels are getting odds of -7.5 points against the Bulldogs. The over/under total for the game is listed at 153 points. These two met in the 2014-15 season, with Butler getting a 74-66 victory. This game takes place in the South Region and will air on CBS from FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.
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North Carolina is coming off a 72-65 win over Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It also defeated Texas Southern, 103-64 in the first round. The Tar Heels are now 29-7 overall and 17-15-2 against the spread this season. UNC is averaging 84.5 points per game on offense while allowing 70.5 points per game on defense. Joel Berry II is averaging 14.4 points per game this season, but he is questionable tonight with an ankle injury. Justin Jackson is leading the team with 18.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Butler is coming off a 74-65 win over Middle Tennessee last week to advance to the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs have yet to face a single-digit seed in this tournament. They come into tonight with a 25-8 overall record and a 19-12 mark against the spread. Butler is averaging 76.2 points per game on offense while allowing just 68.2 on defense. Kelan Martin has been leading the team with 16 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while Andrew Chrabascz and Kamar Baldwin are also averaging double figures in scoring.
Butler picked up two wins last week, but those were against MTSU and Winthrop. The level of competition jumps up in a big way tonight. UNC is the ACC’s last stand, so it is possible that maybe the Heels aren’t as good as we’ve thought, but they have the offense to get past this Butler team. The Bulldogs won’t be able to match UNC’s offensive fire power tonight. Look for a Tar Heels’ cover.
MARCH MADNESS PREDICTION: NORTH CAROLINA -7.5