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Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels dunks the ball as we look at our NC State vs. North Carolina prediction for the ACC Tournament Championship.
Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels dunks the ball in the first half against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Semifinals of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images via AFP.

The ACC Tournament Championship on Saturday will feature a matchup between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the NC State Wolfpack. We will provide our top prediction for the game based on the latest college basketball odds.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have beaten the NC State Wolfpack twice this season, with victories in Raleigh (67-54) and Chapel Hill (79-70) on March 2.

Harrison Ingram and RJ Davis have been the standout players in the series. Ingram had an impressive 19 rebounds in the first game and scored 22 points in the second. Davis contributed with 16 and 14 points in the two games, while also grabbing seven rebounds and providing five assists in the second matchup.

A victory for either team will significantly increase their chances of success in March Madness and reaching the Final Four.

Here are our top picks and predictions for the NC State vs. North Carolina college basketball game on Saturday, as well as our confidence levels on each selection (odds sourced from our recommended March Madness betting platforms, with confidence ratings ranging from 1 to 5 stars).

NC State vs. North Carolina odds

Make sure to check out our prediction for the Oregon vs. Colorado game to get the latest updates on Saturday’s action.

NC State vs. North Carolina prediction: ACC Tournament Championship

Under 146.5 ⭐⭐⭐

Top odds: -110 at FanDuel

Both teams score over 75 points per game individually, totaling 157.7 points per contest. While their defenses are decent, neither team is strong enough to completely shut down their championship game opponent.

With this being the Wolfpack’s fifth game in five days, there are concerns about how much energy they have left, especially after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in overtime on Friday night. Fatigue is evident, as DJ Horne, the leading scorer, struggled from the field in the previous game, only making 2 out of 9 attempts in 40 minutes. It is expected that he will face another challenging night against the Tar Heels and is unlikely to surpass 14 points.

Moreover, not even when these teams were at their peak this season did they manage to score many points against each other. During their first match, a mere 121 points were scored. In the second encounter, the teams only mustered 149 points, barely surpassing the total from Saturday’s game.

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NC State vs. North Carolina best odds

FanDuel (-106)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsbet365
Under 145.5Under 146.5Under 145.5Under 145Under 145
-110-110-110-110-110

FanDuel is taking their time to lower this total, which benefits bettors who are betting on the Under. The other top sports betting sites have already decreased the number by at least one point.

We recommend taking the Under at 140 or lower, as fatigue will be a significant factor on Saturday. FanDuel is currently offering Under 140.5 at +172 as of Saturday morning. It may be beneficial to consider this alternate line along with the standard line of 146.5.

NC State vs. North Carolina spread & Over/Under analysis

The Tar Heels were initially favored by 8.5 points, but the spread has since increased to 9 or 9.5 points on most sports betting apps, with the exception of FanDuel. Despite the Wolfpack’s competitive performances against the Tar Heels this season, North Carolina’s strong ranking as the fourth-best team in the country and potential as a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament make them a popular choice among the public. It is expected that the spread will reach 10 points before the game begins.

The initial total of 146.5 has dropped by at least one point at all of our top sportsbooks, except for FanDuel. The outcome of this total is uncertain before the game starts. As this is the ACC Championship, it will be heavily bet on by the public, typically favoring the Over. However, experienced bettors are leaning towards the under due to the fatigue factor. Consequently, the total is expected to stay around 145.

ACC Tournament Championship game info

  • When: Saturday, March 16
  • Tip-off: 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
  • How to watch: ESPN

Prediction for NC State vs. North Carolina made at 9:04 a.m. ET on Saturday.

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