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STAFF PICKS FOR UNC VS. KANSAS
Dan Karpuc: North Carolina +4
They blew out Marquette. They knocked off No. 1 seed Baylor. They upset No. 4 seed UCLA. They blew out Cinderella Saint Peter’s. Then, they ended Coach K’s career by beating Duke in the Final Four. Overall, the Tar Heels are 5-0 ATS in the NCAA Tournament and they clearly have the firepower to match up with anyone, as Caleb Love, R.J. Davis, Brady Manek and Armando Bacot can easily square up against Kansas’ core. Another factor will play in their favor: their cohesiveness. This team has completely bought into coach Hubert Davis’ team-first mentality and despite their initial seeding, they’ve made it very clear that they are better than a No. 8 seed. I’m going to target their moneyline as well, but betting UNC +4 is the safer bet, so that’s what I’m most confident in.
MORE: UNC-KANSAS BETTING PLAYBOOK
Lucy Burdge: North Carolina +170 ML
I have to go with the team that took down Coach K in the final game of his career to also win the national championship. They put up an impressive fight against Duke in that Final Four game, especially in the final minutes when they pulled off the 81-77 win. Hopefully Armando Bacot’s ankle, which he sprained in Saturday’s game, will be as close to 100% as possible by Monday night. If so, and if this team can mentally refocus after that huge rivalry win and harness the confidence and momentum from that victory, they have a great chance to win the title here against Kansas.
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Matt Horner: Kansas -4
I know taking Kansas is chalked, but I can't ignore the advantages the Jayhawks have. What's the most concerning for UNC is the health of Armando Bacot (ankle). He’s pivotal to the success of this team, a total rebounding machine. He's expected to play, but how well will he play if he's injured? The Heels rank second in the nation in rebounds in large part due to Bacot. If he can't control the boards, that might do in UNC against a Kansas team that dominates the offensive glass. Plus, will there be a hangover from that big win against the Blue Devils? There's just more uncertainty on North Carolina right now, so give me Kansas to cover and cut down the nets.
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Brad Pinkerton: Over 152
After watching Kansas pull out an easy over against a tough Villanova D (81-65 with a 133 total) and the UNC-Duke game predictably going over 151 with a score of 81-77, I think these two offenses will be flying high Monday night. While this is a big number, Kansas has gone 2-2 O/U this season when the total is 150+ points, so we know they can hang in a high-scoring game. This number is right in UNC's wheelhouse, as the Tar Heels are 11-6 O/U when the total is 150+, including eight straight overs in that scenario.
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