North Carolina-Pittsburgh Odds, Predictions: ACC Tournament Semifinals

The ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals feature three teams that finished the regular season in the top four in the conference standings, plus the 10-seeded NC State Wolfpack. The North Carolina Tar Heels meet the Pittsburgh Panthers in the first of Friday night’s semifinal games at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Here, we will break down the North Carolina vs Pittsburgh odds and predictions.

North Carolina won the first meeting of the season between these teams by 13 points back in early January, but that result doesn’t feel instructive given that both teams have played 20 or so games since. Can the Panthers give the Tar Heels a tougher test than oddsmakers expect?

Let’s get into the matchup and give our best North Carolina vs Pittsburgh betting pick.

Read More: ACC Tournament Quarterfinal Odds, Picks | Best College Basketball Betting Sites | March Madness Odds

Best NC Sportsbook Promos

A number of bookmakers currently offer the best NC sportsbook promos after betting went live in the state earlier this week. The deals currently available include:

• Caesars Sportsbook: Bet $10, get $250 in bonus bets
• FanDuel: Bet $5, get $250 in bonus bets
• BetMGM: Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets

North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Preview

Best futures odds to win ACC Tournament:

On paper, the biggest obstacle to UNC winning the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2016 (and second time since 2008), is out of the way after Duke was upset by NC State in the quarterfinals. Given how well Carolina is playing right now, though — not to mention the Heels’ two head-to-head wins over the Blue Devils this year — UNC would have had to like its chances had another battle with Duke materialized.

It’s interesting that Carolina’s futures odds to win the tournament are shorter than -150 at most sportsbooks, but the Heels are only laying 7 or 8 points (depending on the app) against Pittsburgh. The Panthers showed against Wake Forest that they’re potent offensively, but UNC should be able to exploit Pitt’s lack of size. Of the top seven players in the rotation for Pitt, just two are taller than 6-foot-4. That could be a massive problem against the Heels’ frontcourt, which features two outstanding rebounders in Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram.

Pittsburgh Panthers Betting Preview

Best futures odds to win ACC Tournament:

Pitt’s three-man backcourt makes it dangerous, as Blake Hinson, freshman Carlton Carrington, and Ishmael Leggett can challenge defenses inside and out. The Panthers have won four in a row entering the semifinal matchup against Carolina, including three of those by double-digits. With 80 points or more in each of those games, Jeff Capel’s team has proven that it can score with just about anyone, which makes a track meet a strong possibility against UNC.

If the Panthers can hold their own on the glass, they should be able to hang with the Tar Heels, but that’s a big if. The other problem for Pitt is slowing down UNC’s secondary scorers. RJ Davis won ACC Player of the Year for good reason, but even on nights when he’s been held in check, Bacot, Ingram, Cormac Ryan, and Elliot Cadeau have all proven they can step up to complement Davis.

North Carolina vs Pittsburgh Betting Trends

The total has gone OVER in four of the last 10 North Carolina-Pitt matchups, and these teams have split their last 10 meetings, both ATS and SU.

North Carolina Tar Heels

• North Carolina is 5-5 ATS in its last 10 games.
• The total has gone OVER in five of North Carolina’s last 10 games.

Pittsburgh Panthers

• Pitt is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games.
• The total has gone OVER in six of Pitt’s last 10 games.

North Carolina vs Pittsburgh Predictions & Betting Pick

Both teams come into this matchup on winning streaks in which they’ve not only won but covered the spread. Pitt has won four in a row ATS (and five of six), while the Heels are on a seven-game winning streak SU, including 3-0 ATS in their last three games. Something has to give in this one, and the most likely outcome is another big win for a UNC squad with a lot of ways to win. Expect North Carolina’s size advantage in the post to play a big factor in this matchup.

Pitt has the firepower to keep this one close, especially if UNC is not playing well, but North Carolina has shown too few weaknesses in recent weeks to recommend a bet against them.

North Carolina vs Pittsburgh Betting Picks: North Carolina (-7.5 at time of publishing), Over (147.5 at time of publishing)

How to Watch North Carolina vs Pittsburgh

• Date: Friday, March 15, 2024
• Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Location: Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
• Where to Watch: ESPN