Obama's Team - (1) North Carolina vs. (16) Radford
by Tim Furious
The UNC Tar Heels will look to close out a season that saw them ride the top ranking in the country for eight weeks. It’s been up and down this season for UNC, but nothing has them more furious than a loss to FSU during Championship Week. Making a statement in the opening round of the tournament is paramount for Tyler Hansbrough.
The sixteenth seed has never beat the top seed in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, making it one of those rare, long standing betting trends to rely on. Yet, the Tar Heels will be without Ty Lawson, their elite point man who tallies big totals for the expected NCAA Champions. Lawson averaged 15.9 points and 6.5 assists for the Tar Heels.
(click here for your printable March Madness bracket)
That’s what makes the spread pretty interesting for the Tar Heels. UNC is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games, but haven’t had to stoop to the level of the Radford Highlanders for quite some time. Radford averages 76.0 points per game, and gives up just 71.0.
#16 Radford Highlanders (21-11) vs. #1 North Carolina Tar Heels (28-4)
Thursday, March 19th --- Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro --- 2:50pm EST
NCAAB Betting Line: UNC -25 (162.5)
While I’d say that the loss of Lawson makes the 25-point monster unlikely to cover, I’d think again first before betting in the college basketball tournament. UNC needs a statement. A big statement, the kind that invokes the kind of fear and respect that UNC garnered to open the season. Destroying Radford, with a big effort from Tyler Hansbrough is the biggest intangible to measure today as the top-seed in the bracket continues it’s one way crash course towards NCAA immortality.
Tyler Hansbrough – this is your moment, son.
NCAA Free Pick: UNC -25 (UNDER)
