Evansville Aces at No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels
Tuesday, 12/6/11, 7:00 PM EST, TV: ESPNU
Opening Point Spread: UNC -25
Current Betting Line: UNC -25
Opening Total: 151.5
Current Total: 153
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Evansville will look for its first road win of the season as it travels to North Carolina to play inside the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC. The Aces have alternated wins and losses in their six games this season, coming off a 70-68 overtime loss to the TCU Horned Frogs as 3.5-point home favorites. Junior guard Colt Ryan finished with 31 points, falling just one short of his career high. Taking care of the basketball is an important part to the team’s success, owning the top turnover margin in the Missouri Valley Conference at 5.33. Evansville is 5-4 ATS as a road underdog of 12.5 or more points the last two-plus years.
The Aces will need to sure up the boards to remain competitive against such a high-profile opponent, getting out-rebounded by a 6.8 margin this season. Evansville met North Carolina a year ago, dropping a 76-49 contest as nine-point home underdogs, while going ‘under’ the total of 142.5. The team turned the ball over 23 times and caused just 12 miscues on the other end.
North Carolina will open a five-week homestand and will look to bounce back from a 73-72 loss to the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats as 6.5-point road underdogs on Saturday. “Games like this get you ready for March,” commented Tar Heels player John Henson. “That’s all that matters right now.” The Tar Heels lead the all-time series with the Aces, 2-0, as the team was led by forward Tyler Zeller in scoring a game-high 18 points last year. Defensively, the team held Evansville to 31.7 percent shooting in the game. North Carolina is 14-18 ATS at home over the past two-plus years.
The Tar Heels fell just short against the Wildcats, but still managed to hit 11 of 18 three-point attempts in the game, tying a season high. North Carolina also finished with a 21-14 edge in bench points. Not many will anticipate a competitive game on the court Tuesday night, especially with the program coming in with a 19-game win streak inside the Smith Center. Padding the record is in the cards, taking on six of seven opponents that happen to play in non-BCS conferences.
Bettors will likely back the Tar Heels due to their 3-1-1 ATS mark at home versus losing road teams, while the Aces are 1-3 ATS in non-conference action this year.
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