The North Carolina Tar Heels were in great position to climb to the top spot of the AP Poll after the Oklahoma Sooners lost to the Kansas State on Saturday. But a Tar Heels loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish erases that possibility for now. The Eagles, on the other hand, are having a much worse season, as they’re yet to win in 10 conference games and are on the verge of finishing ACC play winless.
Read on for more about this game. You can also check out our preview Michigan State vs. Purdue.
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North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Boston College Eagles Preview
Where: Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill
When: Tuesday, February 9, 8:00 PM ET
Line: North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Boston College Eagles – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the North Carolina Tar Heels (19-4, 8-2 ACC)
After back-to-back losses to No. 19 Louisville and Notre Dame, the Tar Heels have some soul-searching to do. The Tar Heels remain a formidable team on paper, but their character and toughness are now under question, especially following that setback to the Fighting Irish, where they committed 13 turnovers as against Notre Dame’s two.
However, even a demoralized North Carolina side should have its way against ACC doormat, Boston College, which is winless in the conference thus far. The Tar Heels’ offense that boasts of the inside-outside tandem of Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige is expected to blow away the Eagles’ pathetic defense that lets opponents shoot 44.6 percent and average 69.6 points per game on the season. On the flipside, the Tar Heels’ scoring attack produces 84.5 PPG on 47.8% field goal shooting.
North Carolina’s defense isn’t that impressive (70.7 PPG), but the Tar Heels’ rebounding should reduce Boston College into a mere one-shot-per-possession team. Roy Williams’ boys are ninth in the nation with 84.5 rebounds per contest, which is significantly higher than BC’s 31.7 PPG.
Johnson is bound to make a killing in Chestnut Hill with the senior forward, who averages 16.6 PPG and 10.4 PPG, about to face a susceptible Eagles defense down low. He scored 17 points and coralled 11 rebounds in an 89-62 win in the first meeting with Boston College on January 30.
North Carolina is 3-0 ATS in its last three games against Boston College.
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Betting on the Boston College Eagles (7-16, 0-10 ACC)
The Eagles weren’t expected to do much this season. With eight new players on BC’s roster, this season is clearly part of the program’s rebuilding process. In other words, the Eagles are going nowhere this campaign.
The Eagles aren’t thinking of upset against North Carolina, as the team’s focus is currently on gradually improving their play. Coming off a 79-47 loss to No. 19 Louisville, the Eagles probably knows that they would benefit more moving forward if they’d choose their shots wisely. They shot 20-for-52 from the field and 6-for-21 from beyond the arc against Louisville .They also went to the line just four times.
Against the Tar Heels, BC needs to be more aggressive for a chance to put some of North Carolina’s key pieces in early foul trouble. After all, the Tar Heels did a bad job of playing honest defense against Notre Dame, as they committed 27 fouls that resulted into the Fighting Irish’s 31 made free throws on 38 attempts.
Eli Carter, who leads BC with 16.1 PPG, is looking to bounce back with a stronger performance following a two-point effort against the Cards. He scored 19 points in the previous matchup with North Carolina.
The under is 3-0 in the last three home games of Boston College, which is putting up a measly 61.6 PPG this season.
Writer’s Prediction
North Carolina wins, 92-64.
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