UNC Wilmington vs North Carolina Odds, Spread & Predictions (Nov. 7)

• #1 North Carolina is a 23.5-point home favorite against UNC-Wilmington on Monday night
• The Tar Heels have won all five meetings with the Seahawks
• A look at the North Carolina vs UNC-Wilmington odds and matchup can be found below with a pick

The nation’s top-ranked team makes it 2022-23 debut as #1 North Carolina hosts UNC-Wilmington at 9 p.m. ET Monday in the season opener for both squads at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

North Carolina had a 29-10 record last season and reached the national championship game where it lost to Kansas. UNC-Wilmington was 27-9 and won the College Basketball Invitational by beating Middle Tennessee State in double overtime in the final.

UNC Wilmington vs North Carolina Odds

Odds as of November 6th at Barstool Sportsbook. Claim the Barstool Sportsbook promo code. 

North Carolina is a 23.5-point favorite and the over/under is 146.5 points in the college basketball odds. The Tar Heels enter the 2022-23 season with +1400 NCAA Tournament championship odds.

UNC Wilmington Betting Outlook

UNC Wilmington took a big step forward last season in Takayo Siddle’s second year as coach as it won the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season title. The 27 wins matched the Seahawks’ total from the three previous seasons combined.

The top two scorers from last season graduated, leaving senior guard Shykeim Phillips as UNC-Wilmington’s top returnee.

Shykeim Phillips doing Shykeim Phillips things. pic.twitter.com/QOxNLQVTRP

— Ken Watlington (@KWOnAir) March 20, 2022

Phillips averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists last season. His season-high point total was 24, accomplished twice, against William & Mary in the regular season and Drake in the CBI quarterfinals.

Sophomore forward Trazarien White and junior guard Jamahri Harvey also saw extensive action during the 27-win campaign. White averaged 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds and Harvey scored 5.3 points a game.

White poured in a season-high 21 points in a win over Mount Olive, a Division II team, and is adept at getting to the free throw line. Harvey’s top scoring effort was 15 points in a win over Northern Colorado in the CBI semifinals.

Trazarien White with the corner 3 right before time expires!

📊💻 | https://t.co/DmZP8fWrzW#HawkYeah #UNCW pic.twitter.com/K2u2DZFwOB

— UNCW Basketball (@uncwmenshoops) November 2, 2022

Transfer Donovan Newby could provide some scoring punch for UNC-Wilmington. The junior guard averaged 8.3 points last season for Milwaukee.

North Carolina Betting Outlook

North Carolina is loaded as its returns four starters from last season’s team that just missed winning the national title. The Tar Heels have also added a key transfer.

Leading the way is senior forward Armando Bacot, an All-America candidate. A likely, second-round pick, Bacot decided to forgo the NBA Draft to take another shot at winning it all.

Introducing Barstool Athlete…ARMANDO BACOT @iget_buckets35 @stoolathletics
pic.twitter.com/UOFDTKazap

— Barstool College Basketball (@StoolCBB) November 3, 2022

Last season, he averaged a double-double with 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds a game. Bacot had double-doubles in 31 of North Carolina’s 39 games, including all six in the NCAA Tournament.

The backcourt duo of Caleb Love and RJ Davis, both juniors, should provide plenty of scoring punch and playmaking ability from the guard spots. Love scored 15.9 points a game and dished 3.6 assists last season while Davis had averages of 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

In the NCAAs, Love scored 30 points against UCLA in the Sweet 16 and 28 against Duke in the national semifinals. Davis went for 30 points against Baylor in the second round.

Davis sustained a hand injury during the preseason but is listed as probable for the opener.

Senior forward Leaky Black is the proverbial glue guy, offsetting a 4.9 scoring average in 2021-22 with lockdown defense. He also averaged 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

Black may have the best commercial of the nascent NIL era.

NO LEAKS IN THIS HOUSE 💪

Ease Plumbing is here to dominate any and all leaks…..well maybe not Leaky Black 🥴 Give us a call now to schedule an appointment. pic.twitter.com/GkStuHIsOl

— Ease Plumbing (@EasePlumbing) November 4, 2022

Senior forward Pete Nance, a transfer from Northwestern, is expected to round out the starting lineup. The son of former NBA player Larry Nance and brother of the New Orleans Pelicans’ Larry Nance Jr. had a fine season for the Wildcats last winter when he had averages of 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists

UNC Wilmington vs North Carolina Prediction

North Carolina certainly is the best team in the country on paper heading into the season. The Tar Heels have also won all five meetings with UNC-Wilmington.

However, the first game of the season is usually a sloppy affair and the Seahawks have enough talent to keep from getting completely blown out of the Smith Center.

Pick: UNC-Wilmington +23.5 (-110)