The Furman Paladins and the North Carolina Tar Heels meet in college hoops action from the Dean Smith Assembly Center on Tuesday night.
The Furman Paladins will look to build on a 73-65 win over App State in their last matchup. Alex Hunter leads the Paladins in scoring and assists with 17.6 PPG and 3.9 APG while Jalen Slawson has 16.8 PPG with a team-high 8.6 RPG and 3.5 APG and Mike Bothwell has 16.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG to make up the trio of double-digit scorers for Furman so far this season. Conley Garrison also has 9.5 PPG and 5.2 RPG for the Paladins on the year. As a team, Furman is averaging 83.9 PPG on 47.1% shooting from the field, 39.4% from three and 71.4% from the foul line while allowing 75.9 PPG on 45.5% from the field and 33.8% from three this season.
The North Carolina Tar Heels will try to make it five straight wins here after an 80-63 win over Elon in their last game. Caleb Love leads North Carolina in scoring with 16.9 PPG as well as in assists with 3.9 APG while Armando Bacot has 14.3 PPG and a team-high 9.6 RPG to lead the Tar Heels on the glass. R.J. Davis has 13.9 PPG with 4.1 RPG and 3.3 APG while Brady Manek has 13 PPG with 5.8 RPG and Leaky Black has 11.3 PPG with 5.7 RPG to round out the scoring in double figures for the Tar Heels so far this season. As a team, North Carolina is averaging 81.1 PPG on 48.1% shooting from the field, 41.7% from behind the arc and 75.1% from the foul line while allowing 72 PPG on 43.5% shooting from the field and 32.6% from three this season.
Furman is 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 games overall and 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 road games while the over is 7-0 in their last 7 games following a win. North Carolina is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games and 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall while the over is 10-4 in their last 14 games following an ATS loss.
I can understand why UNC is favored at home, but even though the Tar Heels look like they’re starting to figure some stuff out, I’m still not ready to back this team long term. Furman has a win over Louisville already this season and have been a team that usually has the big boys on upset alert in every matchup. I think Furman’s good enough to make this one a tight affair, so give me Furman and the points in this one.