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Jeremy Perry
Texas A&M (7) vs. North Carolina (2) Odds: March Madness Prediction
The Tar Heels had no problems in their opening contest, disposing of No. 15 Lipscomb with a score of 84-66. Next up for them is a matchup against the SEC’s Texas A&M, who edged past No. 10 Providence in their opener. Can the Aggies find a way to slow down the Tar Heels?
NCAA Tournament Odds and Betting Analysis
This doesn’t look like a great matchup for Texas A&M as they are just 3-5 ATS and SU in their last eight against good offensive teams scoring 77+ points per game. They’re also just 3-8 SU in their last 11 as a neutral court underdog of 3.5 to six points
UNC is 22-10 SU this season against teams with a winning record but are just 14-14-4 ATS. They’re 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in their last six as a neutral site favorite of 3.5 to six points.
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies slipped past Providence in their opener, winning by four points to advance. While they grinded out that win, they’ll have to find a way to muck this up and do the same again. They have some big boys inside with Tyler Davis and Robert Williams, but UNC is a smaller, more athletic team. If the Aggies can force the Tar Heels to play a slow, half court game and pound the ball inside, they should have a shot. Davis’ ability to draw fouls could be key.
While the two Aggies bigs get much of the attention, they are a balanced scoring team. They have six players who average at least nine points. It’ll have to look similar to their opener where they were +18 on the boards and collected eight blocks. Multiple Providence players were in foul trouble and that made things much easier for the Aggies. They’ll have to follow a similar path to victory, the only issue is that their next opponent is much better than Providence.
North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels were in complete control of their Round of 64 matchup with Lipscomb, winning by 18 points. Kenny Williams led the way for the Tar Heels, pouring in 18 while Theo Pinson had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, UNC shot 51.7% from the field while holding Lipscomb to 35.9%.
This game will be a much tougher challenge for UNC. The Aggies play a big lineup, starting three players who are at least 6’9. The Tar Heels don’t start anyone taller than 6’8, so that will be an interesting matchup. However, rebounding is rarely an issue for the Tar Heels. They ranked third in the nation in offensive boards.
The Tar Heels main weakness is defending the three but scoring from deep is not something the Aggies do well. They’re a team that’s built on muscle inside. North Carolina defends the interior well, so this matchup should work very well for them.
