Syracuse vs. North Carolina Prediction, Picks & Odds: College Basketball Picks Today (Feb. 2)
Both the Syracuse Orange and North Carolina Tar Heels are coming off wins this weekend, setting up a massive ACC showdown, which I break down with my Syracuse vs. North Carolina prediction.
No. 16 North Carolina is a 10.5-point betting favorite in this game, which tips from the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). With a home date against Duke looming for the Tar Heels, I expect Syracuse to keep this game closer than expected.
🏀 Syracuse vs. North Carolina predictions
See our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.
| Prediction | Best odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Syracuse + 10.5 | -110 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Over 154.5 | -115 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| JJ Starling Over 12.5 points | -110 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 Syracuse vs. North Carolina best bet: Syracuse +10.5 (-110)
Check out all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.
The Orange can hang tough in this game on the strength of a defense that allows the fewest 3-point attempts per field goal attempt in league play. Syracuse aims to funnel opponents into one of the best shot blockers in the country, William Kyle, who ranks in the top 10% of all D-I players in block percentage.
Kyle is a big reason the Orange rank in the top 55 in 2-point percentage allowed. That should come in handy against North Carolina’s tandem of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, who combined for 42 points and 18 rebounds against Georgia Tech.
Score prediction: North Carolina 83, Syracuse 75
🔢 Ranked vs. Ranked
There is only one other game tonight with a ranked team in action, and I've dug deep into it with my Kansas vs. Texas Tech prediction.
🔥 Best Syracuse vs. North Carolina player prop: JJ Starling, Syracuse, Over 12.5 points (-110)
North Carolina’s defense has been torched from 3-point range in conference play, allowing an ACC-worst 42.1% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Syracuse is making 37.8% of its threes through nine conference games (fourth-best).
That should help Syracuse shooting guard JJ Starling go Over this projected total. His floor for points has been high of late, with 12-plus in six of the last seven games.
Starling has also come on strong of late averaging 19 points per game over the last two, and those scoring outputs were each in the top three of his point totals in ACC play.
📊 Live Syracuse vs. North Carolina odds
📈 Syracuse vs. North Carolina betting trends
| Syracuse | Statistic | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| 13-9 | W-L record | 17-4 |
| 10-12 | ATS record | 12-9 |
| 12-10 | O/U record | 10-11 |
| 1-4 | Last 5 games | 3-2 |
📺 How to watch Syracuse vs. North Carolina
- Date: Monday, Feb. 2
- Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Dean E. Smith Center (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
- TV: ESPN
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