NCAA BASKETBALL ARTICLES
North Carolina (22-6) -5.5, o/u 146 vs. Boston College (25-6), 3:50 p.m. Eastern, ESPN
The Boston College Eagles, in their first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, look to cool down the North Carolina Tar Heels in a semifinal match-up Saturday afternoon in Greensboro.
North Carolina may be the hottest team in Division 1. The Tar Heels have won eight games in a row after beating Virginia Friday 79-67 as 12-point favorites.
Boston College has won four straight, including an 80-66 dumping of Maryland Friday in a game the Eagles led 27-6 at one point in the first half.
Carolina has been a moneymaker for its financial backers this season, going 18-7 against the spread, 12-4 ats in the ACC and 10-7 ats as a favorite.
BC is 14-12 against the number on the season, 9-8 ats vs. ACC opponents and a shiny 4-0 ats as an underdog.
In the only recent meeting between these new conference rivals, the Eagles beat the Heels 81-74 in January in Chapel Hill. BC committed just nine turnovers in the game, while NC turned it over 19 times.
The Tar Heels are shooting 48 percent from the floor this season, 38 percent from 3-point range and 71 percent from the line. They also own a +9 rebounds per game margin.
The Eagles shoot 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from long range but 67 percent from the stripe. They own a +3.6 rebounds per game margin.
Carolina is limiting opponents to 41 percent field goal shooting, BC 43 percent.
The Sagarin PREDICTOR ratings at usatoday.com have North Carolina ranked 5th at 91.8, Boston College 20th at 85.3. The latest RPI at NCAAsports.com has the Tar Heels at #8, the Eagles at #33.
The over is a collective 30-20 in North Carolina and Boston College games this season.
According to scoresandodds.com, Carolina opened up as a 6.5-point favorite, with a total set at 146. Those numbers were quickly bet down to 4.5 and 144.
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