North Carolina Tar Heels (11-3) vs. NC State Wolfpack (11-3)
January 10, 2024 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: NC State Wolfpack +4.5 / North Carolina Tar Heels -4.5; Over/Under: +154
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The UNC Tar Heels and the NC State Wolfpack meet in college basketball action from the PNC Arena on Wednesday night. It’s an in-state ACC Rivalry matchup, who comes out on top? Let’s dive in and find out with our UNC vs. NC State Prediction.
UNC Team Preview
The UNC Tar Heels come into this one looking to build on a 65-55 win over Clemson in their last matchup. RJ Davis leads the Tar Heels in scoring with 20.6 PPG along with 3.4 RPG and 3.6 APG while Armando Bacot has 14.9 PPG and a team-high 11.1 RPG to lead the Tar Heels on the glass, averaging a huge double-double per game. Harrison Ingram has 13.1 PPG with 6.8 RPG and Cormac Ryan has 11 PPG with 3.5 RPG to round out the scoring in double figures for UNC so far this season. As a team, North Carolina is averaging 83.6 PPG on 45.6% shooting from the field, 36.2% from three and 76.5% from the foul line this season.
NC State Team Preview
The NC State Wolfpack come into this one looking to build on their 76-60 win over Virginia in their last game. DJ Horne leads the Wolfpack in scoring with 14.4 PPG along with 2.6 APG while Jayden Taylor has 13.1 PPG with 3.7 RPG. DJ Burns Jr. has 12.6 PPG with 4.7 RPG and 2.8 APG while Casey Morsell has 11.4 PPG with 2.9 RPG to cap off the scoring in double figures for NC State up to this point in the year. Mohamed Diarra has a team-high 5.2 RPG as well for the Wolfpack and Michael O’Connell leads NC State with 3 APG as well this season. As a team, NC State is averaging 77.7 PPG on 45% shooting from the field, 34.2% from three and 69.7% from the foul line this season.
UNC vs. NC State Prediction
I’m on NC State as a home underdog here. The Wolfpack are no slouch and UNC has benefitted from some definite bounces on the defensive end. Not to say the Tar Heels won’t hold their own offensively again, but NC State has the chops to hang with the Tar Heels here and in a rivalry? I’ll take the points with a home underdog more often than not. Give me NC State and the points.
