North Carolina vs Oklahoma: Tar Heels Battle Top Teams, Who to Bet On and What to Expect

2023-12-20 14:43:49

Wednesday’s college basketball game between Oklahoma and North Carolina may technically be a neutral court game, but don’t think for a moment the Tar Heels won’t have the crowd advantage. The game is being played in Charlotte, N.C., which is just 2 hours and 10 minutes from Chapel Hill. The Sooners are officially the home team. But it won’t make a difference as far as the fans are concerned. No. 11 North Carolina is favored by 2 points over No. 7 Oklahoma and the total is 154.5. The North Carolina vs Oklahoma tips will look at the side and the total to determine the best value play for the game.

Tar Heels Battling Top Teams

North Carolina is bringing a 7-3 record into this one, having lost its last two games. The Tar Heels are battling some pretty tough teams. Their three losses have come once morest Villanova, Connecticut and Kentucky, which is no shame. North Carolina has beaten a tough Tennessee team, so the Tar Heels are battle tested.

The Tar Heels are averaging 84.9 points per game once morest teams allowing 70.6 points. RJ Davis and Armando Bacot are leading the way for the Tar Heels, who have four players scoring in double figures. North Carolina shoots 45.9% from the field and 35.6% from 3-point range. The Tar Heels are No. 9 in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings.

Defensively, North Carolina allows 75 points to teams averaging 78 points per game. The Tar Heels allow 42.8% from the field and 32.8% from 3-point range. North Carolina has Pomeroy’s No. 46 defense.

The Tar Heels are still viewed as being a better team than Oklahoma. In the odds to win March Madness, North Carolina is at +3000. The Sooners are +6000.

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Oklahoma Unbeaten, But Untested

The Sooners may be 10-0 on the season. But their schedule leaves a bit to be desired. Oklahoma’s toughest games have been once morest the likes of USC, Iowa and Providence. Good teams, sure, but nothing like the teams North Carolina has played. But you can’t fault the Sooners for what they’ve done on the court. Oklahoma is scoring 84.4 points once morest teams that allow 75.7 points. The Sooners are No. 34 in Pomeroy’s offensive ratings. Oklahoma has eight players who score 7.7 or more points, so it’s a team effort.

The college basketball scores show the Sooners have one of the best defenses in college basketball. Oklahoma allows 61.3 points to teams averaging 72.8 points. Pomeroy has Oklahoma ranked No. 8 in the defensive efficiency ratings. The Sooners have allowed more than 70 points just once this season.

What to Expect

North Carolina likes to play at a faster tempo than Oklahoma. So the Tar Heels may try to get the Sooners to run with them. Oklahoma can run as it did once morest Arkansas Pine Bluff in a 107-86 win, but that’s not what the Sooners do best. The Sooners need to play to their strength and slow things down and get the ball inside. Oklahoma shoots 60.5% on 2-pointers, which is the strength of the offense.

Who to Bet On?

The biggest difference between the two teams is the strength of schedule. North Carolina has played Pomeroy’s No. 17th toughest schedule. The Sooners have played No. 336. That’s a huge disparity.

The North Carolina vs Oklahoma tips wants no part of Oklahoma in this one. North Carolina will be the toughest team the Sooners have played to date. You can’t say the Sooners will be the toughest team the Tar Heels have seen this season. But it’s also not easy laying points to a pretty solid Oklahoma team. The college basketball predictions today have North Carolina winning by four due to the schedule difference.

Instead, the North Carolina vs Oklahoma tips will look at the total in the game. The Sooners are 6-4 in totals so far this year. North Carolina is 7-2-1. But the question becomes, does Oklahoma want to run with the Tar Heels and the answer should be no. Oklahoma has to slow it down to have a chance, so will go ahead and tab the under 154.5 in this one.

North Carolina vs Oklahoma tips



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