North Carolina vs. Indiana (11/30 @ 9:15 PM EST.)
Spread: Indiana (-5.5)
Total: Over 145
Overview and Betting Info
The 18th ranked University of North Carolina Tar Heels take on the 10th ranked Indiana Hoosiers as part of the 24th and final installment of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Established in 1999, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge features all 14 ACC and 14 Big Ten teams. The ACC leads the series 12-8-3. Because ESPN is losing television rights to the Big Ten, the series will end after this season. It will be replaced by a series between ACC and SEC teams.
Thus far in 2022, UNC is 5-2 while the Hoosiers are a perfect 6-0. North Carolina is in first place in the ACC while Indiana is in first place in the Big Ten.
North Carolina
Junior guard Caleb Love leads the Tar Heels in both points and assists. Love averages 20 points and 3.4 assists per game.
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 5-0 start in 2022 but are trying to turn the page after a two-game losing streak, dropping games to Iowa State and an overtime thriller to 18th ranked Alabama. That game was a long and arduous one that spanned four overtimes. Alabama came out on top by a score of 103-101.
Indiana
Indiana has not been severely tested yet in 2022; North Carolina is the first ranked team they will face. The Hoosiers’ closest game was an 81-79 win at Xavier.
Senior All-American center Trayce Jackson-Davis leads the Hoosiers in points and rebounds. He averages 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Free Pick: Indiana (-5.5)
Indiana has outperformed North Carolina in all important statistical areas in 2022 except for one. That is average rebounds; the Tar Heels have 40.4, and the Hoosiers have 38.3.
The Tar Heels will need to outrebound the Hoosiers because they are outmatched in scoring: Indiana averages 88.8 points per game while North Carolina has only 82.6.
The most startling statistical difference between these two teams is in points allowed per game. The Tar Heels allow an average of 75.1 points per game while Indiana has allowed an average of 59.3. Because of the disparity between these two teams in the key statistical areas, the selection of Indiana at -5.5 is the preferred choice.
