Pittsburgh Panthers vs North Carolina Tar Heels NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/8/25
Looking to win big? The Panthers and Tar Heels face off at 4:00 ET on ESPNU. The Tar Heels are hosting the game at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 154.5 points, and North Carolina is favored by -4.5 to win at home against Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH PANTHERS VS NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS BETTING PICK
The Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels -4.5
This game will be played at Dean E. Smith Center at 4:00 ET on Saturday, February 8th.
WHY BET THE NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Tar Heels.
- Not only will North Carolina pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 154.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Can the Panthers Pull Off a Win at Chapel Hill?
Pittsburgh Panthers Recent Game/Games
Pittsburgh dropped to 14-8 on the season after a 73-57 loss to Virginia on Monday. The Panthers were -13 favorites at home but failed to cover the spread.
After trailing 34-19 at halftime, Pittsburgh scored 38 points in the 2nd half but allowed 39. The total points for the game were 130, just under the O/U line of 130.5.
Pittsburgh’s offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 41.9% and an effective field goal percentage of 48.8%. They hit 6 of 20 from beyond the arc, shooting 30% from three-point range, and connected on 15 of 21 free throws, good for 71.4%.
Dai Dai Ames led the way with 27 points, shooting 68.8% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Ishmael Leggett added 17 points, hitting 63.6% of his shots. The Panthers managed just 4 offensive rebounds and recorded only 5 assists as a team.
Despite Pittsburgh’s defense allowing 73 points, they held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, with 18 made baskets on 43 attempts. Inside the arc, the Panthers gave up 12 two-point field goals on 23 attempts, a 52% shooting rate.
From three-point range, Pittsburgh’s defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 20 attempts, a 30% success rate. The Panthers also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 15 attempts, shooting 71%. Pittsburgh allowed 4 offensive rebounds in the game.
Can North Carolina Pull Off a Home Win?
North Carolina Tar Heels Recent Game/Games
The Tar Heels fell to 13-10 on the season after an 87-70 road loss to Duke on Saturday. North Carolina entered the game as +13.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 157, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 148.5.
North Carolina found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 47-25 at halftime. While they managed to outscore Duke 45-40 in the second half, it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
North Carolina put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 47.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5%. They hit 7 of 19 threes (36.8%) and connected on 78.6% of their free throws, going 11 for 14 from the line.
Kon Knueppel led the way with 22 points, shooting 63.6% overall and 50% from deep. Cooper Flagg added 21 points, hitting 3 of 5 from three, and contributed 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The Tar Heels grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and finished with 11 assists as a team.
North Carolina’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 87 points on 52% shooting. They allowed the opposition to hit 54% of their two-point attempts, going 18/33 from inside the arc.
From three-point range, the opposing team shot 50%, making 10 of their 20 attempts. They also went to the free-throw line 25 times, converting 21 for 84%. North Carolina gave up 7 offensive rebounds.