Long Island got here on the strength of a solid frontcourt and a romp through the Northeast Conference.
The Blackbirds are about to find out that North Carolina is a lot better than teams they have faced all season. But this is not to say LIU, the 15 seed in the East Region, will be routed here by the Tar Heels.
They have size and skill inside and get 20 points to play with for their backers. That number has actually been bet down to -17.5 at Sportsbook so bettors think LIU can play. The total might be the best bet as both teams will run and shoot all game. (The best OVER number was at Sportsbook Thursday.
View Long Island vs North Carolina Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
The visitors opened as 20-point underdogs in this one at most sportsbooks tracked at Odds Shark.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Tar Heels - Blackbirds odds would favor the Tar Heels if the lines were set according to our power ranks. North Carolina is rated No. 8 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Long Island is at No. 118. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 86-84 win for the Tar Heels.
How They Match Up:
In the paint, the rebound battle will feature North Carolina's No. 2-rated squad against Long Island's No. 4-rated roster. And in long-range shooting, North Carolina rates No. 276 in the country with 5.2 per game, while their foes tonight rank No. 99 nationally with 6.9 per match.
Defensively, Long Island features the nation's No. 262-rated defense on the road, allowing 74.2 points per game. North Carolina, meanwhile, comes in at No. 47 nationally in scoring at home.
Long Island was an 85-82 Sportsbook in its last match against Robert Morris. They failed to cover the 4.5–point spread as favorites.
North Carolina was a 75-58 loser in their most recent outing against Duke. They failed to cover the 4.5–point spread as underdogs.
North Carolina Tar Heels Trends:
When playing on Friday are 9-1
After playing Duke are 9-1
After a loss are 7-3
A few Blackbirds at Tar Heels trends to consider:
North Carolina is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of North Carolina's last 11 games
North Carolina is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
