No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Texas Southern Preview
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville
When: Friday, March 17, 4:00 PM ET
Line: North Carolina Tar Heels (-26.5) vs. Texas Southern Tigers (+26.5); total: 154.5 – view all NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: TNT
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Betting on the North Carolina Tar Heels (-26.5)
Losing to Duke in the semis of the ACC tourney hurts like a gunshot for the Tar Heels but taking an L against Texas Southern would be a whole lot painful for North Carolina. That’s what the Tar Heels will be trying to avoid in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Operating one of the best offenses in the nation, expect North Carolina to give Texas Southern more than it could handle. The Tar Heels are 12th in the nation in scoring with 84.9 points per game with a 47.7 shooting percentage from the field. The team features four players averaging at least 12.3 PPG, led by Justin Jackson, which puts up 18.1 per outing. Jackson and company could be putting up a shooting clinic opposite Texas Southern and its defense that ranks 168th nationally.
Another key advantage for the Tar Heels in this matchup is their rebounding. They are tops overall with 43.5 boards per game, while the Tigers only get 35.3. The Tar Heels are particularly ferocious on the offensive glass, pulling down 13.8 offensive rebounds per contest. No surprise that Roy Williams’ team is second in Division I ball in extra scoring chances.
Betting on the Texas Southern Tigers (+26.5)
Of course the Tigers are big underdogs against North Carolina. It’s not fresh news for Texas Southern, though, who have already faced upper-tier programs during the regular season.
The reigning SWAC champions went 0-5 SU against Top 50 RPI teams this season but those contests against the likes of Arizona, Louisville, and Baylor should have eroded the intimidation factor on the part of the Tigers entering the Big Dance.
One Tiger who’ll certainly not feel daunted by the Tar Heels is guard Demontrae Jefferson. Jefferson missed the first eight games of the season but made his debut in the 102-71 loss to Louisville on December 10, scoring 27 points on 10-for-30 shooting from the floor. He proceeded to score in double figures against Cincinnati and Baylor.
But it’s Zach Lofton that the Tigers need the most to produce offensively. Lofton paces the team with 17.0 PPG, but shot just 3-for-14 for just 11 points in the last two games.
Texas Southern is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
North Carolina (-26.5) wins, 92-60.
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