Miami vs. North Carolina Picks, Predictions, Odds

The North Carolina Tar Heels put an end to a three-game losing streak over the weekend with a 20-point win over the Clemson Tigers. UNC hit 15 three-pointers in the blowout victory, and Caleb Love and Armando Bacot both had big days. The Tar Heels will look to keep that going on Monday night against the Miami Hurricanes, but the Canes are no pushover.

On Monday, February 13, 2023, the North Carolina Tar Heels will play host to the Miami Hurricanes. This game will be played at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Miami Hurricanes vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Prediction

This will be the first meeting between Miami and North Carolina this season. The Tar Heels were blown out by 28 points when they faced the Hurricanes in Miami last season, and that loss is sure to resonate in the minds of this veteran UNC team.

The Hurricanes have had their share of troubles on the road in conference play, but their four ACC road losses have come by a combined 13 points. There are cases to be made for both teams to cover the number here, but Miami matches up well with North Carolina and has a good chance of pulling off the road victory.

Score Prediction: Miami 79, North Carolina 78
Best Bet: Miami +4

Miami Hurricanes vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Odds

Miami Hurricanes vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Resources

Date: Monday, Feb. 13, 2023
TV-Time: ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Dean E. Smith Center
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Matchup
Expert Picks

ACC Tournament Odds

Miami Hurricanes vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Stats

Miami Hurricanes
SU: 20-5
ATS: 14-10-1
O/U: 11-12-2
PPG: 79
OPPG: 70.4

North Carolina Tar Heels
SU: 16-9
ATS: 8-17
O/U: 10-13-2
PPG: 78.4
OPPG: 72.2

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

Miami Hurricanes Betting Analysis

Miami has the ninth-best offense in the country according to Ken Pomeroy's numbers. The Hurricanes rank 21st in effective field goal percentage, and they hit their free throws when they go to the line. Isaiah Wong leads the team with 16.2 PPG and 3.5 APG, and the offense largely runs through him. Wong is making 44.9% of his field goals and 37.6% of his threes on over 100 attempts.

The other three-point shooter to watch out for on Miami is Nijel Pack. He is averaging 12.6 PPG, and he is making 40.3% of his triples to pace the Hurricanes in that category. Pack is one of four players sinking 80% or more of their free throws, making this team especially difficult in close games.

Norchad Omier is currently averaging a double-double with 14.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG. Omier is making over 61% of his field goals, and he has learned how to play within himself after struggling with fouls earlier in the season. Meanwhile, Jordan Miller is a 6'7 guard that is very comfortable down low, and he is making 59.4% of his two-point attempts.

The Hurricanes aren't great on defense though. They don't send opponents to the foul line often, but they do have trouble rebounding on the defensive end as they don't have a lot of size for a Power Five team.

North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Analysis

The most important player for North Carolina on Monday night is Armando Bacot. The 6'11 senior is a double-double machine that has dominated the glass since he was a freshman. Bacot is averaging 17.6 PPG and 11.3 RPG this season, yet he isn't as much of a factor as he was last year when North Carolina had another big man that allowed him to do more in the paint. Still, Bacot has posted four straight double-doubles and is making 56.4% of his field goals.

North Carolina has had some major issues with its perimeter shooting this year. The Tar Heels are making just 31.4% of their triples and none of the top five scorers are shooting better than 35% from beyond the arc. To make matters worse, there isn't much depth as Hubert Davis largely depends on the four starters he still has from last year's national runner-up team. D'Marco Dunn has seen his minutes cut, while Puff Johnson hasn't been that effective as the sixth man since his return.

Caleb Love and R.J. Davis are the guards for this team, but they don't distribute as much as you might think considering this is a veteran team with a ton of experience. Most of North Carolina's field goals don't come off of assists, as this offense can be rather disjointed with too much iso ball. Additionally, the Tar Heels struggle on team defense, ranking in the bottom half of the country in defense off of pick-and-rolls and ball screens. That is something to watch on Monday night.