NCAAB preview: Gonzaga a big favorite against reeling UNC
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Filip Petrusev throws down a massive dunk. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Icon Sportswire)
North Carolina at #2 Gonzaga, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
---|
North Carolina Tar Heels | +12.5 (-112) | +595 | O 146 (-109) |
Gonzaga Bulldogs | -12.5 (-108) | -935 | U 146 (-111) |
The Tar Heels are reeling
There’s no way to sugar coat the state of affairs in Chapel Hill. North Carolina, one of the blue bloods in college basketball, has hit some stumbling blocks and still has the meat of a brutal ACC schedule ahead. A loss to Gonzaga would give the Tar Heels four straight losses, which would be the first losing streak of that length for them since the 2009-2010 season. They dropped out of the AP Top 25 this week, for the first time since Week 16 of the 2013-14 season.Anthony will miss four to six weeks to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery, and while he will likely return for the heart of North Carolina’s ACC schedule, he can't stop the bleeding now. Anthony also missed UNC’s 68-64 loss to Wofford last weekend in Chapel Hill. Starting wing Leaky Black is also questionable for UNC with a sprained foot.
This will be the Tar Heels’ first trip to state of Washington during the regular season. They’ve visited four times during the NCAA Tournament, with a 1-3 record in those games.
Gonzaga's offense is remarkably balanced
Gonzaga enters off an 84-80 win over No. 16 Arizona on Saturday, a game that saw junior forward Corey Kispert lead all scorers with 18 points, to go along with eight rebounds. The Bulldogs are the only team in the country with six players averaging double digits in scoring through 12 games.The Bulldogs are commanding favorites
I like Mark Few’s team to make a statement on national television. As for Tar Heel nation, even an NCAA Tournament berth is in question at this point. Missing key players in a hostile environment is a tall task.NCAAB free pick: Gonzaga moneyline
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