Pitt vs. UNC prediction and odds for Wednesday, February 1 (Back Panthers as underdogs)

The Pittsburgh Panthers are set to take on the UNC Tar Heels on Wednesday night in a game between two ACC teams with 15 wins on the season.

Both teams are stilling vying for the top spot in the ACC. Pitt sits in third at 8-3 and UNC sits in fourth at 7-3.

After a slow start to their conference schedule, the Tar Heels have strung together four-straight wins. Can they keep the momentum going tonight?

Let’s dive into the odds and then I’ll give you my best bet.

Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina odds, spread, and total

Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina prediction and pick

I’m shocked at the betting line for this game, and I’ll tell you right away I’m going to take the points with Pitt.

Let’s look at the first two obvious statistics; effective field goal percentage and defensive efficiency. Pitt holds better numbers than UNC in both of those categories. Pittsburgh rank 74th in effective field goal percentage, whereas UNC ranks 144th.

When it comes to defensive efficiency, the Panthers rank 108th compared to the Tar Heels rank 116th.

Pittsburgh should also be able to find success on the perimeter. 44.9% of the Panthers shots come from three-point range, which is the 32nd highest rate in the country. Now, they face a UNC team that allows teams to shoot 33.6% from beyond the arc, which ranks 160th in college basketball.

UNC outranks Pittsburgh in rebounding and turnovers, but I don’t think the Tar Heels deserve being favorites of close to 10 points. Give me Pitt to cover as an underdog.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.