Florida Gators vs North Carolina Tar Heels Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Florida vs North Carolina NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Charlotte.

Florida vs North Carolina Prediction

Betting on today's Gators and Tar Heels game? Catch the action at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC, as the Tar Heels hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN. Florida comes into this non-conference matchup as the -4 point favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 166.5 points.

Florida vs. North Carolina Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Florida Gators at North Carolina Tar Heels
Where: Charlotte at Spectrum Center
Date: Tuesday, December 17th
Betting Odds FL -4, FL -189 | NCAR +148 O/U 166.5

Gators Preview: Is It the Gators Game to Lose on the Road?

Florida improved to 10-0 with an 83-66 win over Arizona State on Saturday. The Gators, who were -7 point favorites, covered the spread at home. The total points for the game ended at 149, falling short of the 156-point O/U line.

Florida led 41-32 at halftime and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, outscoring the Sun Devils 42-34 to seal the win.

Gators Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, the Gators put up 83 points, shooting 47.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.2%. They hit 33.3% from beyond the arc, making 10 of 30 attempts, and were strong inside, connecting on 59.5% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they were nearly perfect, going 9 for 10.

Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 25 points, hitting 5 threes on 13 attempts. Adam Miller added 18 points, shooting 60% from deep. Alijah Martin contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds, while also dishing out 6 assists. The Gators finished with 17 assists as a team and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds.

Gators Team Defense

Florida's defense gave up 66 points while allowing the opponent to shoot 47% from the field. The Gators struggled to contain two-point shots, with the other team hitting 59% of their attempts inside the arc.

From three-point range, Florida allowed 10 threes on 30 attempts, a 33% shooting rate. The Gators also sent the opponent to the free-throw line 10 times, where they made 9 free throws.

Tar Heels Preview: Can the Tar Heels Lock in a Home Win?

North Carolina improved to 6-4 on the season with a 93-67 win over La Salle on Saturday. The Tar Heels were heavy favorites at -20.5 and covered the spread with the victory.

UNC led 42-25 at halftime and scored 51 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. The game’s total points of 160 fell just under the O/U line of 163.5.

Tar Heels Offense Breakdown

North Carolina's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 93 points and shooting 53.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 61.2%, thanks in large part to their 72.2% shooting on two-point attempts. They struggled from the free-throw line, hitting just 47.8% of their attempts.

The Tar Heels connected on 10 of 31 three-point attempts, shooting 32.3% from deep. Cade Tyson led the way with 23 points in 21 minutes, hitting 5 of 10 from beyond the arc. Tyson finished 9 of 14 overall, while also grabbing 5 rebounds. Demetrius Lilley added 16 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three-point range.

Tar Heels Team Defense

North Carolina's defense gave up 67 points in this one, with the opposing team shooting 53% from the field. They were especially effective inside, hitting 72% of their two-point attempts (26/36).

From beyond the arc, the opposition went 10/31, good for 32%. North Carolina also sent them to the line 23 times, where they made 11 free throws (47%). The Tar Heels allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Gators vs Tar Heels Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Florida has a straight up record of 5-5 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 7-3. The team averaged 83 points per game in these games.
North Carolina has played well in their previous five home games, going 3-2 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 78 points per game while allowing 74. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, North Carolina has an ATS mark of 2-1 while going 1-2 straight up.
As the betting favorite, the Gators have an ATS record of 3-0 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.