Gonzaga vs North Carolina: Sweet 16 Predictions
Written March 23, 2009 by Jordan Haimowitz
The Tar Heels have not come close to playing their best ball yet. The walk through vs Radford in the first round is not relevant and the game vs LSU was very tight late until UNC pulled away. The Heels were the slight favorite to win the tournament before it started. They are also President Barack Obama’s pick. With all of this said, the one question everybody is so eager to find out remains the same…How healthy will Ty Lawson be? It will be one that is of the most importance, because while LSU is good, Gonzaga is great. A very interesting statistic in this pre-game article to me is the fact UNC scores roughly 10 points more per game, Gonzaga gives up 10 less against. The Heels shoot 49% from the field while the Zags shoot 48%. North Carolina shoots a tad better from the three point line while The Bulldogs get a little more prodcution from their bench. Stats say this game will be played close to the end. The Heels guards besides Ty Lawson better be ready to play. Wayne Ellington better be ready to guard Gonzaga’s sniper from the three point line in Micah Downs or Matt Bouldin. Both of them are extremely dangerous. Josh Heytvelt and Deon Thompson will be squaring off inside. Austin Daye gets the unfortunate task of trying to slow down Tyler Hansbrough. This will be an obstacle that Gonzaga must overcome. Hansbrough is stronger and more experienced. Looking at the NCAA basketball lines for Friday, North Carolina is favored by 8.5 over Gonzaga and the total has been set for 163 points.
Gonzaga defeated a pesky Akron team in the first round pulling away in the second half and then went on to defeat a very good Western kentucky team at the buzzer. This could very well be Mark Few’s most balanced Zags team yet. Senior leader, point guard Jeremy Pargo and Center Josh Heytvelt will be the vocal intensity for their team. However, the player that is perhaps playing the best for the West Coast champs is junior combo guard Matt Bouldin who filled the stat sheet vs the Hilltoppers last game with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. They would absolutely cherish a repeat performance vs the top seeded Tar Heels. There are many factors in this game that will play a significant role. UNC is so powerful, talented and well balanced that not only will The Bulldogs have to play their best game of the year, they will also need to play smart and almost turnover free basketball. The odds makers have Gonzaga at 8.5 point underdogs. The case can be made in every game that UNC plays that they should cover. This one, you may have a harder time proving your point.
Haimo’s Hot Notes: The Heels were once again the tournaments sexy pick to win the big dance. Lawson, Hansbrough, Ellington and crew should be ready and focused against a good Gonzaga team that they understand if they come out sluggish, they could lose, easily. Pargo, Bouldin and Downs can most certianly neutralize Lawson, Ellington and Green. Heytvelt will embrace the task of bodying up big man Deon Thompson. That leaves us with the key match up stated above, Austin Daye vs Tyler Hansbrough. This one will be quite difficult for the Zags. This game should be a dandy. A close battle between two experienced battle tested teams. Both Teams are under .500% in their last 10 games against the spread overall.
Gonzaga is 15-15 ATS this year
UNC is 13-19 ATS this year
Betting Line: UNC -8.5
Jordan’s Pick: Take Gonzaga +8.5
A 1-2 day is never something we aim for. It does help when the best bet is hit to avoid a loss net gain. We are back on track in the South Region as these two are set to be winners. Documented Record:
14-13 OVERALL
6-4 BEST BETS
Get even more college basketball picks throughout the NCAA tournament to help you win more when you bet on college basketball.
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- Gonzaga Odds to Win the NCAA Tournament
- North Carolina Odds to Win the NCAA Tournament
- Akron vs Gonzaga: NCAA Tournament Preview & Odds
- Elite 8 Predictions: Oklahoma vs North Carolina
- LSU vs North Carolina: March Madness Predictions
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