UNC vs Boston College Odds and Picks (Jan 2)

• The North Carolina Tar Heels are 7-point road favorites over the Boston College Eagles in an NCAA men’s basketball game slated for Sunday, January 2
• North Carolina has won 12 of 13 straight up over Boston College
• The Eagles haven’t played a game since December 13

It’s been awhile since the North Carolina Tar Heels hit the hardwood. By comparison, it’s been an eternity since the Boston College Eagles were playing basketball.

North Carolina’s previous game came on December 21, a 70-50 win over Appalachian State. COVID-19 caused the December 29 game between the Tar Heels and Virginia Tech Hokies to be postponed.

The last action for BC was a 61-57 loss to Albany on December 13. The Eagles games against Wake Forest (December 21) and Florida State (December 29) were postponed due to COVID-19.

In fact, this game was pushed back a day to allow extra time for Boston College players to clear COVID-10 protocol. Nonetheless, oddsmakers are staying with the Tar Heels as solid 7-point road favorites. The Eagles are 2-0 against the spread this season as a home underdog.

North Carolina vs Boston College Odds

Odds as of January 2nd at FanDuel.

Tipoff is set for 1pm ET at Conte Forum. ESPN2 is carrying the broadcast.

North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Trends

The Tar Heels are 9-3 overall, as well as 1-0 in the ACC. North Carolina has won six of the past seven games. KenPom is listing the Tar Heels as 18th in the country in offensive efficiency (112.6) and 41st overall in effective field goal percentage (54.2%).

In the victory over Appalachian State, junior center/forward  Armando Bacot (16 points/10 rebounds) and  graduate student forward Brad Manek (11 points, 11 rebounds) hit for double-doubles. Defensively, the Tar Heels limited App State to 4-for-30 from 3-point range.

Scenes from practice 📸 pic.twitter.com/MlU9xTvdA5

— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) January 1, 2022

Bacot and sophomore guard Caleb Love share the lead in team scoring at 15.1 points per game. Love also leads the Tar Heels in 3-pointers (23), assists (44), steals (16) and free throws (38-of-46). Love is one of four players in the top 10 in the ACC in scoring and assists.

Bacot leads the ACC in field goal percentage (.630) and is second in rebounding (9.8) and fifth in blocks (20). He also leads the ACC and is third in the country with eight double-doubles. Bacot is 10th in the nation in field goal percentage and 18th in the nation in rebounding.

Boston College Eagles Betting Trends

Boston College (6-5, 0-0) ranks first in the ACC in both offensive (.339) and defensive (.793) rebounding percentage. BC’s 79.3% defensive rebounding mark ranks eighth nationally, per KenPom. UNC ranks 12th (78.7%).

The Langford brothers key the BC offense. Sophomore guard DeMarr Langford Jr leads the Eagles in scoring. He’s averaging 12.1 points per game while shooting 47.1% from the floor.

UPDATE: Our game vs. @UNC_Basketball will tip at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 2 and will air live on ESPN2.#ForBoston pic.twitter.com/8KdvY4wesm

— BC Men's Basketball (@BCMBB) December 31, 2021

Graduate student guard Makai Ashton-Langford is second on the Eagles in scoring. He’s pouring in a career-best 11.5 points per game. Ashton-Langford ranks 12th in the ACC in assists (3.4) and is sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.95:1).

Freshman guard Jaeden Zackery ranks third on BC in scoring (10.5), second in assists (2.7), and second in steals (1.5). Zackery is one of five ACC freshmen averaging double digits in points. He rates fifth in scoring, second in assists, and second in steals among ACC newcomers.

Eagles-Tar Heels Predictions

North Carolina had won 12 in a row from Boston College until the Eagles posted a 71-70 victory in the previous meeting between the two schools on February 1, 2020. All-time, the Tar Heels are 18-6 against the Eagles. That’s including a 16-5 mark since BC joined the ACC prior to the 2005-06 season.

Carolina is 8-1 in Conte Forum. North Carolina has won the last six times the teams have played in Chestnut Hill.

Wheels up to Boston 🛫 pic.twitter.com/LUbPBv0m7R

— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) January 1, 2022

Carolina tends to get better as the game wears on. The Tar Heels have shot 50% or better from the floor in the second half in each of the last six games and eight times in 12 games this season. Over the campaign, Carolina is shooting 52.6% from the floor in the second half, while holding the opposition to 43.4%.

The Tar Heels are ranked 36th by KenPom. North Carolina has struggled in matchups against elite schools but has solidly taken care of business when facing weaker opposition. Boston College, 128th at KenPom, certainly falls into that latter category.

Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels -7 (-110)