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Trust NCAAB Lines, Bet North Carolina ATS vs Wagner
As is typical, the NCAAB lines for the matchup between top-seeded North Carolina and 16th-seeded Wagner in the first round of the West Region on Thursday aren’t giving the underdog much of a chance. It shouldn’t be a surprise, as Wagner had to play in the First Four on Tuesday night and escape with a narrow victory over Howard just to get to this point.
The Seahawks finished sixth in the Northeast Conference before clawing their way into the Big Dance with a run to the conference tournament title. Meanwhile, North Carolina has been a national title contender all season long and is one of the teams with the best March Madness odds as the tournament kicks into high gear on Thursday.
Wagner vs North Carolina Game Information
- Game: Wagner (17-15) vs North Carolina (27-7)
- Date/Time: Thursday, March 21, 2:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
- Wagner vs North Carolina Live Stream: TBS.com
This will be the first meeting between these schools on the hardwood. The college basketball lines for this one aren’t giving Wagner much of a chance, with North Carolina giving 25 points on a point-spread bet. The over/under for the game is set at 133½ points.
The game is set for Thursday, March 21, at 2:45 pm ET. You can watch it on CBS or MAX.
Wagner vs North Carolina Odds and Spreads
Wagner vs North Carolina Betting Trends
- North Carolina is 6-0 ATS in its last six NCAA Tournament games.
- Wagner is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games as an underdog of 13 points or more.
- The over is 7-1 in the Seahawks’ last eight neutral-site games
- The under is 18-16-0 in the Tar Heels’ 34 games this season.
- Wagner is 15-15-0 ATS in 2023-24.
- North Carolina is 18-15-1 ATS this season.
- The under is 9-1 in the Seahawks’ last 10 games vs a team with a winning percentage above .600.
- The Tar Heels are 25-6 as a favorite this season.
Wagner vs North Carolina Over/Under Pick: Over 133½
North Carolina will have had five days to stew over a loss in the ACC Tournament title game by the time this game tips off, and the Tar Heels will be looking to show they’re a better team than their last performance. In their three games prior to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, North Carolina averaged 86.7 points, but in the semifinal win over Pittsburgh and the championship loss to NC State, the Tar Heels averaged 74.0 points.
Even that latter average should be enough against a Wagner team that is shorthanded (seven scholarship players) and looking to slow things down offensively. The Seahawks don’t want to get into a running game with the Tar Heels, though scoring on the break did help Wagner get past Howard in the First Four. The underdog has to make sure it finds good shots and makes them in its half-court offense, but our NCAAB expert picks are going to include the over in this one.
Wagner vs North Carolina ATS Pick: North Carolina -25
This has the makings of a typical blowout between a top seed and a 16th seed. The fact that Wagner already played on Tuesday night isn’t going to help, as the Seahawks have to travel from Dayton, Ohio, to Charlotte, NC, before tipping this game off less than 48 hours after their previous contest. Coach Donald Copeland doesn’t have a lot of depth, so fatigue and possible foul trouble are two major factors for the Seahawks.
North Carolina has scoring come from all over the floor and likes to put some pressure on opposing guards to force turnovers and get out into the open court. Look for guard R.J. Davis (21.4 points, 3.5 assists, 40.6% from 3-point range) to be aggressive looking for his shot in this one. He had 30 points, six rebounds, and five assists in the loss to NC State and will be the catalyst for the Tar Heels from the opening tip.
Wagner vs North Carolina Best Player Prop Pick: Armando Bacot Over 9½ Rebounds (-117)
Despite missing the Big Dance a season ago, this North Carolina team has a ton of Big Dance experience, having gone to the 2022 NCAA title game. One of the big factors in that run was 6-11 forward Armando Bacot, who can be a dominant force on the glass against even the biggest of front lines. Bacot is averaging 10.2 rebounds per contest this season and will have a height advantage over any Wagner player he faces. Look for a big game on the glass for the senior, making him a great selection when you’re betting online on props.
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Wagner vs North Carolina Score Prediction
Questions Of The Day
Have Wagner and North Carolina faced each other before?
This will be the first all-time meeting on the basketball court between Wagner and North Carolina.
This will be the first all-time meeting on the basketball court between Wagner and North Carolina.
The winner of this contest advances to the second round of the West Region, where they’ll face the winner of the first-round game between Mississippi State and Michigan State on Saturday.
