Hubert Davis, in his first season as the head coach, leads the North Carolina Tar Heels against the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2022 NCAA Tournament championship game on Monday evening. New Orleans hosts the matchup between blue blood programs, with UNC boasting a 29-9 record as the No. 8 seed in the East Region. The Tar Heels defeated Duke in a historic Final Four matchup, and North Carolina is 17-3 in the last 20 games. Kansas is 33-6 overall, entering as the No. 1 seed from the Midwest Region, and the Jayhawks are seeking their first national title since 2006
Caesars Sportsbook lists Kansas as a four-point favorite for this 9:20 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 151 in the latest North Carolina vs. Kansas odds. Before finalizing any Kansas vs. North Carolina picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kansas vs. UNC and revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see all of the model's college basketball picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UNC vs. Kansas:
- North Carolina vs. Kansas spread: Jayhawks -4
- North Carolina vs. Kansas over-under: 151 points
- North Carolina vs. Kansas money line: Tar Heels +175, Jayhawks -200
- UNC: The Tar Heels are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall
- KU: The Jayhawks are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following an ATS win
Why Kansas can cover
Kansas is unquestionably known for its high-flying offense, and the Jayhawks are devastating on that end of the floor. However, Kansas brings the superior defense into Monday's matchup, ranking in the top 20 of the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Jayhawks are in the top 30 nationally in shooting efficiency allowed, with opponents making only 30.1 percent of 3-point attempts and 46.7 percent of 2-point attempts against Kansas. Kansas is above-average in free-throw prevention, and the Jayhawks boast an impressive 11.0 percent block rate.
Opponents are averaging only 11.9 assists per game, and Kansas has the athleticism and length to bother any team. On offense, Kansas is No. 6 in the country in adjusted efficiency, and the Jayhawks are soundly above-average in 3-point shooting, 2-point shooting, free-throw shooting, offensive rebounding, assists, assist percentage and turnover prevention. North Carolina is also near the bottom of the country in creating havoc on defense, with only a 13.7 percent turnover rate and a 7.4 percent steal rate.
Why North Carolina can cover
Junior forward Armando Bacot has great strength and is a force on the boards. Bacot, who suffered an ankle injury on Saturday, is still expected to play in this one. Bacot averages 16.3 points, 13.1 rebounds and shoots 58 percent from the field. He's been a beast during the NCAA Tournament 2022, snagging 20-plus boards in consecutive matchups. In his last game, Bacot finished with 11 points and 21 boards.
Sophomore RJ Davis is a speedy guard, who uses his quickness to penetrate the lane. The New York native can blow by most defenders to either dish the rock or finish at the rim. Davis puts up 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He's making 36 percent of his attempts from three. In the Final Four win over Duke, Davis produced 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
How to make UNC vs. Kansas picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 146 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Kansas vs. North Carolina? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
