The best March Madness sportsbooks opened the Bruins as three-point favorites in this East Region matchup. North Carolina has proven to be popular enough to move the line down to UCLA -2 at the best online sportsbooks. The total has settled in at 141.5 points after it opened at 142.5 points. The OVER is 6-2 in UCLA’s past eight games.
The No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels (26-9 SU, 18-16-1 ATS) are 5-0 SU and ATS in their past five games against the No. 4 UCLA Bruins (27-7, 18-15-1). The North Carolina Tar Heels and UCLA Bruins play on Friday in the college basketball NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 at Wells Fargo Center. The North Carolina Tar Heels hope to reach their 10th Elite Eight since 2000. The UCLA Bruins aim to make it to their sixth Elite Eight since 1997.
2022 Sweety 16 North Carolina vs. UCLA Odds by MyBookie.ag
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | +2½ ( -110 ) | 141½ ( -110 ) | +122 |  |
| UCLA | -2½ ( -110 ) | 141½ ( -110 ) | -142 | |
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Betting North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels beat the defending NCAA Tournament champions the Baylor Bears with a 93-86 OT win in the Round of 32. Each of North Carolina’s big three contributed. R.J. Davis scored 30 points, Brady Manek 26, and Armando Bacot 15 plus 16 rebounds.
North Carolina squandered a 25-point lead and lost Manek to an ejection but managed to win in spite of themselves. According to the best sportsbooks, they are 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games. Including upset wins over Virginia Tech, Duke and Baylor. The Tar Heels have scored at least 88 points in four of their past six games. They are averaging 94 points per game through the first two games of the Tournament.
North Carolina may not survive another late-game breakdown like the one against Baylor before getting their bearings back and beating the champs. The Tar Heels can win this game, but they’ll need to come up with a full 40-minute effort against a solid UCLA squad.
Betting UCLA Bruins
Many basketball fans expected a tight game between the Bruins and the Saint Mary’s Gaels in the Round of 32. UCLA closed as only a three-point favorite at the best sportsbooks. Instead, the Bruins enjoyed an ample 72-56 win.
Four different players scored at least 14 points. It was a balanced performance for both offense and defense. UCLA’s defense has allowed just 54.5 points per game in the first two rounds of the tournament.
The Bruins are 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in their past eight games. They have allowed an average of 63.3 points per game in that stretch. The one smirch in that run was an 84-76 loss to the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 championship game.
This is a matchup of strength as North Carolina’s great offense faces UCLA’s monolithic defense. If UCLA is able to win that tug of war, its offense should be able to do enough damage to help the Bruins rule the day.
North Carolina vs. UCLA Pick
The UCLA Bruins will be the favorites because they have been the more consistent team of the two. On the other hand, we are getting a free bucket with a North Carolina team that is playing its best ball of the year.
Not only did the North Carolina Tar Heels knockoff Baylor in a game they dominated early, but they have won 14 of their past 17 games overall. They are allowing 39.5% shooting in their past five games. The Tar heels have found their footing. They looking like a fearsome and legitimate 8th seed. We are not going to go against of these Tar Heels. Take the bucket.
