The North Carolina Tar Heels hadn’t looked crisp as the No. 1 team in the country in their start to the season. Those who bet online were somewhat expecting an upset at some point and it happened Friday.
Iowa State handled the Tar Heels 70-65 and will undoubtedly send them lower in the rankings. Now the Tar Heels will face No. 18 Alabama in the Phil Knight Invitational.
Which team is the best bet versus the college basketball odds on Sunday?
Let’s check the latest college basketball odds, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines for North Carolina vs Alabama. We’ve plenty of NCAA basketball odds for you to consider.
North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels entered the season as the No. 1 team in the nation but they’re going to be much lower next time the rankings come out.
They started 5-0 but a number of shaky outings were foreshadowing a loss that was surely to come. They beat Gardner-Webb by just six points and Portland by eight. They should be roasting teams like this.
On Friday, Iowa State served as the Tar Heels’ first Power 5 test and UNC failed. The Cyclones had been 2-22 against No. 1 teams but they added to the win column.
Jalen Holmes and Caleb Grill combined for 53 of Iowa State’s 70 points as the Tar Heels defense had no answers. North Carolina has struggled at the defensive end, ranking 52nd in KenPom’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency.
Alabama has one of the better offenses in the country, so if North Carolina doesn’t tighten up, they could be riding a two-game losing streak by the end of the weekend.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama landed in this consolation game after dropping a showdown with No. 20 UConn. The game was competitive for about a half but the Huskies pulled away in the final frame, earning a comfortable 82-67 win.
Alabama is the No. 18 team in the country and it had been battle-tested before matching up with Connecticut. The Crimson picked up an 81-70 win over No. 12 Michigan State.
If you’re making your college basketball picks, you’re probably inclined to ride with Alabama here. Prior to the loss to UConn, they had won all of their games by double-digits.
Regardless of what the Associated Press says, the respected KenPom metrics say that this team is the 14th-best in the country whereas North Carolina is 22nd. Alabama shouldn’t be intimidated here.
North Carolina vs Alabama Game Injuries
North Carolina vs Alabama Head-to-Head
These teams have met 10 times. North Carolina has won six of those contests.
North Carolina vs Alabama Game Information
- Game:North Carolina vs Alabama
- Location: Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
- Day/Time: Sunday, Nov 27, 3:30 p.m. ET
- North Carolina vs Alabama Live Stream: TBS
North Carolina vs Alabama Betting Lines
North Carolina vs Alabama Picks & Prediction
The Crimson Tide look like a good bet in the sportsbook. North Carolina should be focused in this spot to rebound after their loss, but it might not be as good as its previous ranking suggests.
Whether it’s the KenPom ratings or the ESPN CPI, which indicated that North Carolina should start the year as the 15th-best team, the Tar Heels seem overrated.
Look for the Crimson Tide to cover and win outright.
North Carolina vs Alabama Trends
North Carolina vs Alabama Edge
North Carolina vs Alabama Results
North Carolina vs Alabama Game Summary
