Unranked Syracuse travels to Chapel Hill to face #7 UNC on Saturday afternoon at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN. Can the Tar Heels cover the 13-point spread as home favorites? Keep reading for our Syracuse vs. North Carolina prediction.
The Syracuse Orange are 11-4 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 7-8 ATS this season.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are 12-3 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 9-6 ATS this season.
Syracuse vs. North Carolina Matchup & Betting Odds
613 Syracuse Orange (+13) at 614 North Carolina Tar Heels (-13); o/u 154.5
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, January 13, 2024
Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
TV: ESPN
Syracuse vs. North Carolina Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that 60% of public bettors are currently backing North Carolina when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Syracuse Orange Game Notes
Syracuse center Naheem McLeod will miss Saturday’s game due to a foot injury. McLeod is averaging 3.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 14.4 minutes per contest for the Orange this season.
Orange forward Chris Bell was instrumental in his team’s 69-59 home win over Boston College on Wednesday night. In that game, the 6’7” sophomore logged 20 points, 4 made three-pointers, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. He shot 8 of 14 from the field in the victory.
North Carolina Tar Heels Game Notes
Tar Heels guard RJ Davis was great in his club’s 67-54 road win over NC State on Wednesday. In that contest, Davis racked up 16 points and 4 rebounds. He shot 4 of 10 from long range in 35 minutes of playing time.
North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram had a monster night on the glass against the Wolfpack on Wednesday. The 6’7” Dallas native grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds and added 9 points, an assist, and a steal to his stat line for good measure.
Syracuse vs. North Carolina CBB Betting Trends
Syracuse is 12-10-3 ATS in conference games since the start of last season.
North Carolina is 11-14-1 ATS in conference games since the start of last season.
North Carolina is 10-11 ATS as a home favorite since the start of last season.
The Tar Heels are 12-13-1 ATS when playing on 2 or 3 days of rest since the beginning of the 2022 season.
Syracuse vs. North Carolina CBB Prediction:
Syracuse is actually playing well in the last 6 weeks. The Orange are 8-2 straight up in their last 10 games dating back to November 22. They have double-digit wins over LSU, Georgetown, Oregon, and Boston College during that stretch. Those are some good wins for a team getting 13 points in a conference game.
North Carolina is a good team with some good wins, but 3 of their top 4 scorers are shooting 43.2% from the field or worse. The Tar Heels’ fifth-leading scorer (Elliot Cadeau) is only shooting 45.7% from the field this year. As a team, North Carolina is 132nd in effective field goal percentage and 90th in true shooting percentage this season. Those figures are enough to scare me off of the Tar Heels. I’m taking the Orange and the points on the road in Chapel Hill on Saturday.