North Carolina vs. UCLA Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
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Nik Kowalski
UCLA took down No. 13 Akron and No. 5 Saint Mary’s last weekend but looked much better in the latter win. North Carolina dominated No. 9 Marquette and then looked to do the same versus No. 1 Baylor before holding on in an overtime thriller.
Tip-off at Wells Fargo Center goes at 9:39 p.m. EDT on Friday night. The Bruins are 2.5-point favourites with the over-under at 142.5 on the NCAAB odds.
North Carolina vs. UCLA Sweet Sixteen Point Spread and Betting
If you make it to the Sweet Sixteen, chances are you’re catching fire at the right time and it couldn’t be truer with these clubs. UCLA’s 10-2 in their last 12 and have covered in eight of those bouts, while UNC’s 8-1 in their last nine and have covered in seven of those bouts.
Head-to-head, the Tar Heels are 5-0 in their last five meetings with UCLA. The Bruins are also 0-9 against the spread in their last nine games versus an ACC opponent and North Carolina’s won 16 straight versus the Pac 12. So the big takeaway is that history’s on UNC’ side.
North Carolina Tar Heels (8)
Halfway through the second half, UNC held a 25-point lead on No. 1 Baylor. Forward Brady Manek then received an ejection for a flagrant elbow, and suddenly the Tar Heels went into survival mode — holding on for a 93-86 overtime victory. R.J. Davis dropped a career-high 30 in the win and knocked down five threes. Manek hit four, and had 26 points prior to his ejection.
Both Manek and Armando Bacot have been sensational as North Carolina’s forwards this tournament. Bacot has 32 points and 26 rebounds in the two wins, and Manek 54 points and 16 rebounds on nine of 18 shooting from the arc. Both need monster days to advance past Friday.
UCLA Bruins (4)
Back-to-back 16-point showings from point guard Tyger Campbell led the Bruins in each of their first two tournament games. Campbell, who shot 41 per cent from deep this season, knocked down three treys in the Round of 64 followed by an eight-for-eight night from the free throw line in the Round of 32.
To no surprise, UCLA relied on the combined scoring from their starters to advance to this spot. After Campbell, guard Jaime Jacquez Jr. dropped 15 points in each of the wins. Regular season leading scorer Johnny Juzang bounced back from a 3 of 11 shooting night against Akron with 14 points on six of 11 from the field versus Saint Mary’s. Guard Jules Bernard has 24 points so far.
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