Wake Forest vs North Carolina Betting Odds – Tar Heels make it a track meet against Wake Forest
NCAA Basketball Odds: Pick North Carolina |
North Carolina has been an online betting shock this season, and there is even a chance they could lose three in a row when they host Wake Forest on Wednesday night. The Tar Heels like to get out and run, and they’ll aim to do so against the Demon Deacons. If they can cut down on the turnovers, it could be a rout.
| WHAT: NCAA basketball betting |
| WHEN: Wednesday, January 20, 7:00 PM ET |
| WHERE: Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC |
| KEY STAT: Wake Forest hasn’t won at North Carolina since 2003 |
The Storyline - Wake Forest vs North Carolina Betting Odds
The Demon Deacons (12-4, 2-2) have dropped two of their last three, including a 20-point blowout loss at Duke on Sunday night. The No.24 Tar Heels (12-6, 1-2) don’t look anything like the defending national champions, as lost three of their last four, including an upset loss at Charleston, and back-to-back losses at Clemson and against Georgia Tech. A third straight loss would send the students at the “Dean Dome” into a stupor.
Offensive Matchups - Wake Forest vs North Carolina Betting Odds
Al-Farouq Aminu is Wake Forest’s main scoring option, and he’s a double-double threat each time he steps on the court. But the Demon Deacons don’t offer much on the perimeter and especially from long distance, and they turn the ball over a lot, coming in 248th in the country with 15.3 per game.
The Tar Heels can still fill the net, coming in ninth in scoring offense, powered by the forward duo of Deon Thompson and Ed Davis. However, this isn’t the efficient group of last season. The Tar Heels also aren’t that great from the outside, and they’re a miserable 310th in the country in turnovers. Larry Drew II is definitely no Ty Lawson.
Betting Edge: Corth Carolina
Defensive Matchups - Wake Forest vs North Carolina Betting Odds
Wake is 132nd in the nation in scoring defense, but at least they make you work for your points as they’re fifth in the country in field-goal defense. Aminu leads the Demon Deacons in boards and blocks, and he’s one of three Wake Forest players to average at least 1.4 steals.
This is the main reason that North Carolina is sinking like a stone in your sportsbook: they can’t stop anyone. The Tar Heels are 265th in scoring defense and 104th in field-goal defense, even though Davis is one of the best shotblockers in the country. Their perimeter defense is nothing special, and at least last year’s Tar Heels could turn it on when they want to.
Betting Edge: Wake Forest
Coaching Matchup - Wake Forest vs North Carolina Betting Odds
Dino Gaudio assumed control of the program when Skip Prosser died suddenly in 2007, and he’s looking to build on last year’s first-round upset loss to Cleveland State in the NCAAs. Gaudio is doing well despite losing a lot of talent from last year, but the Demon Deacons must improve, especially on the road.
Roy Williams may have the biggest job of his career, just to get his Tar Heels in sync on the defensive end of the floor. However, you have to have faith in a coach that has won the NCAA Tournament twice in the last five years.
Betting Edge: North Carolina
Betting Prediction - Wake Forest vs North Carolina Betting Odds
The Tar Heels should be favorites at the Dean Dome, where they almost never lose three in a row in a season. The Demon Deacons haven’t won at North Carolina since 2003, and they should come out with some fire after being routed at Duke. However, the Tar Heels should come out with even more after two, embarrassing to be frank about it, losses. Even though Wake Forest has a good defense, they don’t have the weapons to keep up with a Carolina team that Williams will have fired up.
WASHINGTON’S PICK: North Carolina
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