North Carolina St Wolfpack at #8 North Carolina Tar Heels
Dean E. Smith Center – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Thursday, January 26, 2012, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: North Carolina -13 1/2
Current Line: North Carolina -13
Opening Total: 159
Current Total: 157
Opening Money Line: UNC -1100 / NC State +750
Current Money Line: UNC -1100 / NC State +750
The #8 North Carolina Tar Heels are 16-3 overall as they host in-state rival North Carolina St Thursday night. The Wolfpack are 15-5 this season. Both teams have one loss in conference play. NC State is 4-1 and North Carolina is 3-1. Both schools are behind Florida St and Duke in the conference race, who are tied at 5-1. North Carolina leads the series 144-75 against their rivals, and has won 10 straight games against the Wolfpack.
North Carolina St is coached by Mark Gottfried. The Wolfpack have exceeded expectations so far as they only had 5 conference wins all of last year. Nc State has wins over Princeton, Texas, Maryland, Wake Forest, Boston College, and Sunday at Miami 78-73. The Wolfpack have won 3 games in a row. NC State has losses to Vanderbilt, Indiana, Stanford, Syracuse, and Georgia Tech.
North Carolina is coached by Roy Williams. The Tar Heels have wins over Michigan St, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Long Beach St, Evansville, Texas, Boston College, Miami, and Virginia Tech last Thursday 82-68. The Tar Heels have losses to UNLV, Kentucky, and Florida St, all currently ranked in the top 25.
NC State is outscoring opponents 77-68 this season. The Wolfpack are shooting 47.7% from the field, including 36.5% from 3 point range. North Carolina St makes 75% of their free throws. The Wolfpack average 38.2 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +6.8. NC State averages 17.4 assists, 13.3 points, 7.1 steals, and 4.8 blocks a game. North Carolina St is 8th in assists nationally. Wolfpack opponents are shooting 41.6% from the field including 35.7% from 3 point range. NC State forces 13 turnovers a game.
NC State forward Scott Wood averages 13.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists a game. Wood is shooting 45.3% from 3 point range. C.J. Leslie averages 12.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks a game to lead the team. Lorenzo Brown averages 12.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2 steals a game. Brown leads the team in assists and steals. C.J. Williams averages 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. Richard Howell averages 11.9 points, 9.4 rebounds to lead the team, and 1.3 assists a game. DeShawn Painter averages 7.8 points, and 5.3 rebounds.
North Carolina is outscoring opponents 85-67 this season. The Tar Heels are #1 in the country in scoring. North Carolina shoots 47.6% from the field and 35.3% from 3 point range. UNC makes 64.7% from the free throw line. The Tar Heels lead the nation in rebounding with 46.3 rebounds a game, with a rebounding margin of +11.5. The Tar Heels average 18.4 assists, 13 turnovers, 7.1 steals, and 4.8 blocks a game. UNC is 4th nationally in assists. UNC opponents are shooting 38.5% from the field, and 31.7% from 3 point range. The Heels force 14.5 turnovers a game on defense.
UNC forward Harrison Barnes averages 17.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1.2 steals a game. He makes 43.6% of his 3 point attempts. John Henson averages 14.5 points, 10.1 rebounds to lead the team, 1.4 assists, and 3.2 blocks a game to lead the team. Tyler Zeller averages 14.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks a game. Reggie Bullock averages 8.4 points, and 4.4 rebounds a game. Dexter Strickland and Kendall Marshall lead the team in steals with 1.4 a game. Strickland is out for the season with a torn ACL. Marshall also leads the Heels in assists with 9.5 a game. Forward Desmond Hubert is questionable with an ankle injury, and guard Leslie McDonald is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
North Carolina is 10-8 against the spread and the total is 9-9 this season. NC State is 8-8 ATS and the total is 10-6 this season. North Carolina is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games in the series, and the over is 11-4 recently. The Tar Heels are 5-1 ATS against teams with winning records, and 3-9 at home against teams with winning road records. The Wolfpack are 5-0 ATS in road games against teams with winning home records, 4-0 as a road underdog, 4-1 against teams with winning records, and as an underdog, 6-2 in Thursday games, 3-8 after a straight up win, 5-15-1 in ACC games, and 1-4 after a cover.
These are two of the highest scoring teams in the country, so an up and down game is expected. The Wolfpack have 15 wins, but the schedule has been a little soft. I like North Carolina to win a close game, but the Wolfpack will keep it inside the number.
