North Carolina Tar Heels vs Louisville Cardinals NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/1/25
Betting on today’s Tar Heels and Cardinals game? Catch the action at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY, as the Cardinals hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ACCN. The over/under for this Atlantic Coast conference contest is set at 164.5 points, with Louisville being favored by -1.5 at home against North Carolina.
NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS VS LOUISVILLE CARDINALS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Louisville Cardinals -1.5
This game will be played at KFC Yum! Center at 6:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st.
WHY BET THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Cardinals.
- Not only will Louisville pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 164.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Will North Carolina Find a Way to Win on the Road?
North Carolina improved to 8-5 on the season with a 97-81 win over Campbell on Sunday. The Tar Heels were heavy favorites at home, but they didn’t cover the -28 spread. The game’s total points reached 178, surpassing the O/U line of 155.5.
UNC led 40-29 at halftime and scored 57 points in the 2nd half. However, they allowed Campbell to score 52 points after the break, which kept the game closer than expected.
North Carolina put up 97 points in their latest game, shooting 57.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 65.1%. They were dominant inside, hitting 74.3% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 35.7% from beyond the arc, making 10 threes. The Tar Heels also shot 75% from the free-throw line, going 15-for-20.
Colby Duggan led the way with 32 points, hitting 5 threes at 55.6% shooting from deep. Ian Jackson added 26 points, and RJ Davis contributed 23 points, making 5 threes at a 50% clip. Elliot Cadeau dished out 12 assists, and the team finished with 20 assists overall, grabbing 8 offensive rebounds.
North Carolina’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 57% shooting from the field. They allowed 36 made field goals on 63 attempts.
Inside the arc, the Tar Heels gave up 26 two-point baskets on 35 attempts, a 74% shooting percentage. From three-point range, their opponent shot 35%, making 10 of 28 attempts. North Carolina also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they made 15 free throws.
Will the Cardinals Come Through as Home Favorites?
Louisville improved to 8-5 on the season with a narrow 78-76 win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. The Cardinals were heavy favorites at -21.5 but didn’t cover the spread.
After leading 46-37 at halftime, Louisville scored 32 points in the 2nd half while allowing 39. The game’s total points of 154 fell just under the O/U line of 157.5.
Louisville’s offense put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 37.5% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.9%, and they connected on 79.2% of their free throws, hitting 19 of 24 attempts.
George Kimble III led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep, while Devontae Blanton added 22 points. The Cardinals grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and dished out 12 assists, with Chucky Hepburn leading the team with 7 assists and contributing 14 points.
Even with Louisville holding the opposing team to 37% shooting, the Cardinals still gave up 76 points. They allowed 24 field goals, including 11 threes on 36 attempts, a 30% success rate from beyond the arc.
Louisville sent the other team to the line 24 times, where they hit 19 free throws, shooting 79%. The Cardinals also struggled on the boards, giving up 21 offensive rebounds.