A pair of ACC teams will get the primetime college basketball spotlight on ESPN when Clemson heads to Chapel Hill to face No. 17 North Carolina.
The Tar Heels are riding a three-game win streak into Tuesday’s matchup and are looking to keep their 17-0 home record unblemished.
The Tigers are coming off a win against Louisville and looking to score back-to-back victories after dropping four straight through the middle of February.
North Carolina opened as 2.5-point favorites at DraftKings, and the spread has since moved to UNC -3.5.
Clemson vs. North Carolina predictions
North Carolina has been waiting for superstar freshman Caleb Wilson to return to the floor, but it should happen against Clemson. Wilson, the Tar Heels’ leading scorer, fractured his non-shooting hand in a game against Miami on Feb. 10, but hasn’t been cleared for contact yet.
UNC has been able to weather the storm without its best player, posting a 4-1 record over that stretch. Their full-season metrics have been impressive. Against AP-ranked teams, they are 5-1, and their offense is tied for 30th, averaging 122.3 points per 100 possessions, according to KenPom’s rankings.
Clemson had an impressive start in conference play with a 10-1 record through its first 11 ACC games, but adversity came swiftly. They suffered back-to-back double-digit losses against Virginia Tech and Duke, then lost to Wake Forest and Florida State.
Even with that rough stretch, they are still tied with UNC at 11-5 in the ACC, which makes this game important for tournament seeding. The Tigers hang their hat on defense with a unit that ranks 18th per KenPom, allowing just 98.9 points per 100 possessions.
Betting on College Basketball?
In a lot of ways, these two teams are evenly matched. Clemson is 15-12-1 against the spread (ATS) this season, and North Carolina is 16-13 ATS. Both teams are 6-4 against quality opponents, according to ESPN’s BPI.
That said, I think Clemson has the tools to keep this game close. As underdogs this season, they are 4-0 compared to UNC’s 11-10 record as favorites. The Tar Heels haven’t covered as the chalk since their Feb. 14 win over lowly Pitt.
I’ll take Clemson to cover the spread and push the Tar Heels to the final buzzer.
The Pick: Clemson +3.5 (-105, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.