Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs. UNC Tar Heels Picks, Predictions, Odds
A trip to the Final Four out of the NCAA Tournament’s East Region is on the line late Sunday afternoon with the MAAC’s Saint Peter’s Peacocks taking on the ACC’s North Carolina Tar Heels. Tip-off from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is slated for 5:05 p.m.(ET) on CBS.
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Score Prediction
North Carolina 67, Saint Peters 65
Best Bet
Under 137 (-110)
NCAA Tournament Expert Picks | NIT Tournament Picks
SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS vs. UNC TAR HEELS PREDICTIONS
Saint Peter’s made NCAA Tournament history with Friday’s thrilling three-point upset over Purdue as a 13-point underdog. The Peacocks became the first No.15 seeds to qualify for the Elite 8. This amazing run started with a six-point win against Kentucky as 18.5-point underdogs.
They went on to beat Murray State by 10 points getting eight points on the closing spread. North Carolina’s run to the Elite 8 is not as shocking as Saint Peter’s. However, very few brackets had the Tar Heels advancing this far. They got things rolling with a 32-point romp over Marquette as four-point favorites. The biggest upset was against Baylor in a seven-point win as 5.5-point underdogs ahead of Friday’s seven-point upset over UCLA getting 2.5 points.
The sad thing about this game is that one of these amazing teams has to lose. The Peacocks are going to be heavy crowd favorites in an underdog town like Philly. However, the Tar Heels have more than earned their right for underdog status as No. 8 seeds in the East Region. I am not about to bet a side in this one but I do see a hard-fought battle that stays UNDER the 137-point total line.
SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS vs. UNC TAR HEELS BETTING ODDS
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SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS vs. UNC TAR HEELS BETTING RESOURCES
- Date: Sunday, March 27, 2022
- Matchup: No. 15 vs. No. 8
- Region: East
- Venue: Wells Fargo Center
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- TV-Time: CBS - 5:05 p.m. ET
SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS BETTING ANALYSIS
Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)
- SU: 22-11
- ATS: 24-9
- O/U: 13-20
By now, basketball fans are very familiar with Saint Peter’s as MAAC Tournament Champions. The Peacocks bring a straight-up 10-game winning streak into Sunday’s contest. More importantly for bettors, they are also a perfect 10-0 against the spread. The total stayed UNDER 135 points in Friday’s 67-64 stunner over Purdue and it has stayed UNDER in six of their last nine games.
Saint Peter’s is 22-11 SU this season with a profitable 24-9 record ATS. This record includes an 11-3 mark against the closing spread in 14 games as an underdog. The Peacocks are a perfect 6-0 ATS playing at a neutral site this season and the total has stayed UNDER in 20 of 33 games
overall.
The box score for Friday’s win does not read like an amazing upset. The Peacocks shot 38.9% from the field while going just 6-for-21 from three point range. They were out-rebounded by the Boilermakers 37 to 26. However, they made 19 of their 21 shots from the free throw line which turned out to be one of the most important stats in this game. Daryl Banks III scored a team-high 14 points as one of three Saint Peter’s players in double figures.
UNC TAR HEELS BETTING ANALYSIS
Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)
- SU: 27-9
- ATS: 19-16-1
- O/U: 21-15
North Carolina was one of the ACC’s top teams this season at 15-5 SU in conference play. However, the Tar Heels were not even nationally ranked coming into postseason play. Bowing out of the ACC Tournament in a 72-59 loss to Virginia Tech as three-point favorites did not set the tone for a deep NCAA Tournament run.
Nonetheless, North Carolina has been a profitable betting team since late-February with an 8-2 record ATS in its last 10 games. The total stayed UNDER 142 points in Friday’s 73-66 win against UCLA and it has stayed UNDER in three of the last five games. The Tar Heels are 14-11-1 ATS this season as favorites and 4-4 ATS in eight previous games at a neutral site.
In Friday’s win, four of North Carolina’s five starters finished the game in double figures led by guard Caleb Love. He went off for 30 points while going 6-for-13 from three-point range. Forward Armando Bacot posted a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
The Tar Heels shot 40.9% from the field against the Bruins while going 10-for-31 from outside the three-point line. They clearly won the battle of the boards with 43 total rebounds including 15 on offense. They outscored UCLA 45-35 in the second half to earn their spot in the East Region final.
INSIDE THE STATS - SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS
- Record: 22-11
- PS/G: 67.5 (269th)
- PA/G: 62.3 (19th)
INSIDE THE STATS - UNC TAR HEELS
- Record: 27-9
- PS/G: 78.3 (25th)
- PA/G: 71.7 (251st)
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
- SPU: Daryl Banks - G (11.5 ppg)
- SPU: K.C. Ndefo - G (10.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
- UNC: Armando Bacot - F (16.4 ppg, 12.6 rpg)
- UNC: Caleb Love - G (15.7 ppg)
SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS vs. UNC TAR HEELS BETTING CONCLUSION
This matchup defines the excitement of March Madness and why they play the games. Both these teams are playing at their highest level possible which should ensure a great game late Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia. While my SU lean is towards North Carolina, Saint Peter’s making history again with a trip to the Final Four could easily be the case.
MARCH MADNESS PICK RESOURCES
SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS vs. UNC TAR HEELS BETTING TRENDS
- Saint Peter's has won 11 of its last 12 games.
- Saint Peter's has covered the spread in six straight games when playing on a neutral court.
- UNC has covered the spread in three straight games.
- UNC has gone UNDER the point total in three of its last four games after winning the game prior.
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