On Thursday at 2:45 p.m. ET, the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels will take on No. 16 Wagner in the first round of March Madness. Wagner downed Howard in the first game of the First Four to get here, winning 71-68. UNC is at odds of to win the NCAA Tournament, while Wagner is at .
Below, we’ll examine this matchup along with some North Carolina betting promotions.
Wagner wins First Four for David vs. Goliath battle against UNC
The Tar Heels ran the ACC all season but ran up against the NC State Wolfpack and lost in the championship. Meanwhile, Wagner is coming off a win in the First Four and, before that, a victory over Merrimack to win the NEC title.
Wagner’s First Four win nearly slipped away
Wagner did beat Howard 71-68, but it almost let the game slip away. Up by one with less than a minute to go, Wagner was fouled, made two free throws, and then Howard managed to get off three 3-point shots, all of which fell short. Wagner led in the first half 38-27 and had a 17-point lead at one point in the game. Melvin Council Jr. finished the game with 21 points, seven assists, and five rebounds.
Tar Heels coming off stunning ACC tournament loss
The Tar Heels went 27-7 this season but lost by eight to NC State in the ACC championship game. RJ Davis scored 30 points, and Armando Bacot added 18 points and 12 rebounds. However, UNC simply couldn’t stop DJ Horne and DJ Burns, who combined for 49 points. The Tar Heels will look to get back on track in round one against a No. 16 seed.
UNC vs. Wagner basketball odds and betting lines
North Carolina futures odds
- Odds to win the national championship:
- Odds to win the West Region:
- Odds to make it to the Final Four:
- Odds to make it to the Sweet 16:
UNC vs. Wagner injury report: Who’s out, who’s questionable
Below is the latest injury report on each side of this matchup.
North Carolina
No injuries to report.
Wagner
| Player | Status |
| Zaire Williams | Out indefinitely with a knee injury |
| Rahmir Moore | Out indefinitely with a wrist injury |
| Churchill Bounds | Out indefinitely with a knee injury |
| Zae Blake | Out indefinitely with a leg injury |
