Wofford Terriers vs North Carolina Tar Heels Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

North Carolina is laying a huge number at home, but its opener was an eight-point escape against a Southern Conference visitor. Wofford already has one power-conference road game under its belt this week.

The Matchup

Wofford visits North Carolina on Friday night at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, on ACC Network, with North Carolina a 22.5-point favorite and a total of 156.5. This is a buy-game line with a wrinkle: neither team's opener went the way the brand names suggest.

North Carolina is 1-0 after beating Western Carolina 80-72 at home, an eight-point win over a Southern Conference team that was supposed to be a tune-up. Wofford is 0-1 after losing 90-59 at Tennessee on Tuesday, a rough night against a top team on the road. One game in, last season still frames the profiles: North Carolina went 24-9 last season, scoring 79.7 points a game and allowing 71.6, while Wofford went 19-13, scoring 78.8 and allowing 77.1.

The gap in talent is real and nobody is pretending otherwise. The case here is about the size of the number and what each team showed in its first game, not about who wins.

Key Factors

Wofford's opener was ugly on the scoreboard but useful underneath it. Cam Lowe scored 14 points at Tennessee, Chris Arias added 10, and Evan Ramsey pulled down 10 rebounds with 2 blocks against a much bigger frontcourt. The Terriers have already spent 40 minutes in a loud road building against elite length this week. There is no shock factor left for Friday.

North Carolina's opener is the concern for anyone laying this many points. The Tar Heels allowed 72 points to Western Carolina and never pulled away, winning by 8 at home. Matt Able led them with 18 points, Terrence Brown added 14, and Neo Avdalas had 13 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assists, but the defense gave a smaller team clean looks all night. A team that defends like that has to be nearly perfect on offense to win by 23 or more.

The honest counterpoint is Wofford's offense. The Terriers scored only 59 at Tennessee and shot poorly for long stretches. If North Carolina speeds the game up, owns the glass, and Wofford goes cold from three again, the Tar Heels can absolutely bury this number in the second half. The pick needs Wofford to score in the 60s. At Tennessee, that was a genuine struggle.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.