The fifth-ranked UNC Tar Heels aim for a fourth in a row Tuesday when they visit the Demon Deacons on Wake Forest in ACC basketball wagering action.
North Carolina (18-3, 5-1 ACC) leads the nation in scoring at 84.9 PPG and face a struggling Wake team that has managed to cover 3 of past 4 against UNC. CJ Harris remains their lone consistent scoring threat.
With UNC's 3-point potential, the 16 points could be a bargain price for Tar Heel bettors.
This season, the Demon Deacons are 11-10 overall and 9-8-1 ATS ATS, while the Tar Heels are 18-3 and 11-9 ATS against the number. As for the totals, Wake Forest boasts a 6-12 on the OU, and North Carolina is 10-9-1.
View North Carolina vs Wake Forest Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
College basketball odds makers opened the Demon Deacons as 16-point underdogs in this matchup at Sportsbook. The total was settling at 151.5 this morning over at Sportsbook.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
This game matches up the No. 246 (Demon Deacons) and the No. 12 (Tar Heels) teams in the league, according to our current NCAAB power rank. A 90-69 result in favor of the Tar Heels has been projected by the scores prediction engine.
How They Match Up:
Scoring and defensive stats point to some edges in this matchup. The game features Wake Forest's No. 202-ranked scoring average of 66.9 PPG, against a Tar Heels defense rated No. 188 and allowing 67.3 PPG. The Demon Deacons FG% has averaged 43.3% to date this season, less than the Tar Heels shooters have managed so far (48% per game).
Defensively, North Carolina features the nation's No. 227-rated defense on the road, allowing 72.2 points per game. Wake Forest, meanwhile, comes in at No. 239 nationally in scoring at home.
In their last action, North Carolina was a 93-81 Sportsbook at home against Georgia Tech. They failed to cover the 20.5-point spread as favorites. North Carolina got 23 points from Harrison Barnes en route to a 93-81 victory over Georgia Tech on Sunday at Dean Smith Center.
Last time out for Wake Forest, they were a 71-60 loser as they battled Clemson on the road. They covered in the match as a 12-point underdog. C.J. Harris scored 19 points in a futile effort to lead the Demon Deacons to a win (they lost 71-60 to Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday).
North Carolina Tar Heels Trends:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Maryland are 9-1
After playing Georgia Tech are 7-3
After a win are 9-1
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Trends:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-3
Before playing North Carolina State are 4-6
After playing Clemson are 4-6
After a loss are 5-5
A few Tar Heels at Demon Deacons trends to consider:
North Carolina is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of North Carolina's last 25 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of North Carolina's last 6 games on the road
North Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Wake Forest
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Wake Forest's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Wake Forest's last 8 games
Wake Forest is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against North Carolina
Wake Forest is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against North Carolina
Next up:
North Carolina at Maryland, Saturday, February 4
Wake Forest at North Carolina State, Saturday, February 4
