Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs North Carolina Tar Heels NCAAB Betting Pick & Prediction for 1/21

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will take on the #22 North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 7:00 PM ET. The game will be held at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC, and will be broadcast on ESPN2. This is a conference game in the Atlantic Coast Conference, with North Carolina as the favorite.

Notre Dame enters the game with a 10-8 record, including 2-4 on the road. They are the underdogs with a spread of +11.5 and a moneyline of +500. North Carolina holds a 14-4 record and is strong at home with a 12-1 record. The Tar Heels are favored by -11.5 and have a moneyline of -771. The over/under for the game is set at 148.5.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs North Carolina Tar Heels Game Day Info

  • Sport: College Basketball
  • Teams: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs North Carolina Tar Heels
  • Venue: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill NC
  • Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
  • Betting Odds:
    • Notre Dame Spread: +11.5 (-115)
    • North Carolina Spread: -11.5 (-110)
    • Notre Dame MoneyLine: +500
    • North Carolina MoneyLine: -771
    • Over: 148.5 (-111)
    • Under: 148.5 (-115)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Team Preview

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have had a challenging stretch in their recent games. They have lost their last three games, including a 76-89 loss to Virginia Tech. In that game, Brady Koehler stood out with 17 points and a high shooting percentage of 71.4%.

During the season, the Fighting Irish have scored an average of 73.4 points per game. Their field goal percentage is 45.5%, and they make about 8.6 three-pointers per game. However, their free throw percentage is low at 69.7%, which ranks them 337th nationally.

In terms of player contributions, Jalen Haralson leads with an average of 14.7 points per game. Markus Burton also plays a key role with 18.5 points per game and a strong free throw percentage of 91.7%. The team has a current away record of 2-4, indicating room for improvement on the road.

North Carolina Tar Heels Team Preview

The North Carolina Tar Heels have had a mixed run in their recent games. They faced a narrow loss against the California Golden Bears, with a score of 84-78. Caleb Wilson led the team with 17 points, while Henri Veesaar also contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds.

In their game against the Stanford Cardinal, the Tar Heels put up a strong fight but lost 95-90. Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar both scored 26 points each. The team showed a high field goal percentage of 58.2% in this contest.

The Tar Heels secured a win at home against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, ending with an 87-84 score. Henri Veesaar played a key role with 25 points and 9 rebounds. Caleb Wilson also made a significant impact with 22 points and 12 rebounds in that game.

BTB Betting Pick

For the spread pick, take Notre Dame +11.5. Notre Dame’s offensive stats show they can score 73.4 points per game, which might help them keep the game close. North Carolina scores more with 81.9 points per game, but Notre Dame’s spread is large enough to cover.

For the over/under, choose the under 148.5. Notre Dame has a slower pace with 64.6 possessions per game, which could limit scoring. North Carolina averages 68.1 possessions per game, but Notre Dame’s pace may keep the total score lower than expected.