March Madness Betting Guide: UNC Tar Heels vs. Alabama Sweet 16 Odds

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Written By Eli Hershkovich | Last Updated March 26, 2024

With March Madness odds resuming on Thursday night, the West Region provides one of the premier Sweet 16 matchups. The top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels take on the fourth-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide for the right to move onto the Elite Eight. Let’s delve into UNC odds vs. Alabama. Tar Heel State residents can also register for North Carolina sportsbook promos. These exclusive offers will net you up to $2,700 in bonus bets!

Click on anywhere below to wager on North Carolina or Alabama. These odds are the best available in your state.

unc odDs vs. Alabama: spread, moneyline, total

Per the table above, the best UNC spread odds are . Meanwhile, the Tide are to deliver the outright upset. The total is at . Remember that NC residents can receive exclusive offers on NC sports betting apps.

Will UNC Control The Paint?

Tar Heels center Armando Bacot was among the heroes in North Carolina’s second-round win over Michigan State, tallying an 18-point, seven-rebound performance. Bacot is optimally positioned to do the same against Alabama. Nate Oats’ crew ranks in the 26th percentile of opponents’ percentage of points in the paint per game (via CBB Analytics).

The Crimson Tide even struggles on the defensive glass, yielding the seventh-most second-chance points per contest. It’s another area where Bacot should wreak havoc, assuming he stays out of foul trouble. On paper, Alabama is best suited to give 6-foot-10 Nick Pringle a bulk of the minutes at the five, considering his prowess on the glass.

Even so, Pringle is a liability to avoiding fouls in his own right. Overall, the Tide have surrendered the 35th-highest free-throw rate in the country. That makes Bacot going over his points prop () an intriguing wager.

Tide’s Potential Weapon

Before wagering on UNC vs. Alabama, bettors should note that the Crimson Tide are a high-variance team. Although they are fortunate to remain in the field after Grand Canyon’s horrific second-round shooting performance, they also manufactured an 8-of-31 (25.8%) shooting display from behind the arc.

Over the season’s first three months, Alabama shot 38.8% from distance. However, it’s produced a 33.3% clip ever since. Considering the Tide showcases a top-20 perimeter attempt rate, they could stun the Tar Heels if their 3-point shooting reverts to the norm.

While North Carolina’s defense has improved recently, it still ranks No. 294 in open 3-point attempt rate allowed. If Oats is true to his word and Crimson Tide wing Latrell Wrightsell suits up, Alabama could get back on track.

There’s speculation that Wrightsell suffered his second concussion this season, yet it hasn’t been confirmed. He’s statistically Alabama’s top perimeter threat (44.3%).

Predictions For UNC Odds

My raw numbers favor UNC by a tad over three points. Likewise, our partner Haslametrics forecasts an 84.2-81.6 win for the Tar Heels, aligning slightly with Alabama’s spread odds. Catch my Sweet 16 betting podcast with Erik Haslem, the founder of Haslametrics, below!

Sweet 16 Player Props

More UNC Betting Odds

More Alabama Betting Odds

You can subscribe to the audio-only version of the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

are there North Carolina sports betting restrictions For March Madness?

Bettors in North Carolina must be 21 or older. Sportsbook customers can bet on in-state college teams without stipulations on individual prop bets, including UNC, Duke, and NC State player props in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Overall, North Carolina sports betting is not restrictive. Sportsbook users can wager on professional and collegiate sports at their leisure.

Local college teams, including North Carolina, Duke, and NC State in the NCAA tournament, are always offered.