Game: (705) Notre Dame (0-0) @ (706) North Carolina (0-0)
Time: Wed. 11/06 7:00 PM EST at Dean Smith Center
Spread: North Carolina 10.5 ML: -630/+465 Total: 152.5 at 5Dimes
Tools: Public Consensus | View Matchups | Bet This Game
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish head to the Dean Smith Center for their first ACC game of the year against the North Carolina Tar Heels. This opener against Notre Dame adds to the already busy early non-conference schedule. This is also a first for Notre Dame opening their season on the road in North Carolina. Each team has high hopes this year to make the NCAA tournament.
NOTRE DAME – The Fighting Irish have missed the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time since they went three straight years without dancing from 2004-2006. This team was 14-19 last season but it’s the only ACC gang returning all five starters, and they could be three of the 20 best players in the league: John Mooney, Prentiss Hubb, T.J. Gibbs. Rex Pfleuger returns for another year and Sophomore Nate Laszewski is the big man.
NORTH CAROLINA – The key to North Carolina’s success this year will likely be their recruiting class led by five-star prospects Cole Anthony and Armando Bacot.UNC’s Cole Anthony is set to be a volume-heavy player who could well put up a Trae Young-lite stat line for a Heels team that lost its top five scorers from last season, the first time that’s ever happened to a Roy Williams-coached Tar Heels team. Garrison Brooks is the only returning starter, but two transfers, Christian Keeling (Charleston Southern) and Justin Pierce (William & Mary), could keep UNC’s offense from dropping too far off in pace and efficiency.
Considering Notre Dame returns most of their key players and they are getting the points they will be the obvious pick here for most people. But just wait, you can’t forget about the talent UNC brings in year after year and the real question is will that be enough to beat the Irish. This is UNC’s first game, and considering their inexperience, the Irish may be able to keep it close but that will fall heavily on the duties of Gibbs. If he plays well, they might have a shot to cover this spread but his pre-season numbers were not so good. You can expect Cole Anthony to have Trae Young-like performances that people are anticipating and you never know what can happen when you have a player that has the 50-point game type of potential. Last year UNC won at home 75-69 in this spot and did not cover their -13 point spread and the public knows remembers that which is why they are siding with the Irish. The public has made their choice and the line has not budged, look for the Tar heels to come out strong in their home opener.