Pittsburgh is 0-2 in ACC play thus far. This is the Tar Heels first true road game as well. Pittsburgh has folded against good teams at home like Missouri and Clemson. However, the Tar Heels live and die by the three and Pittsburgh can guard the perimeter, holding opponents to 25.3% on the season.

Pittsburgh has won three consecutive games and five of the past six contests against the Tar Heels. It's the first true road game of the season for UNC and that definitely matters a little -- ah the benefits of being a blue-blood. The SL Model has Pitt winning somewhat easily. Not sure about that. The Panthers lead the ACC in rebounds (42.15 rpg.), rebound margin (+9.23), and defensive rebound percentage (.786) and are one of the top defensive teams ranking among the league leaders in scoring defense (2nd - 64.8 ppg.), field goal percentage defense (T-2nd - .397), three-point percentage defense (1st - .253), and blocked shots (3rd - 5.0 bpg.).

North Carolina and Pitt are going to instigate a fast-paced game that each should enjoy. It’s been part of their story all season. Pitt is 9-4 (7-5-1 ATS) and has been consistently getting over going 9-4 to the Over averaging an 80-64 score while UNC averages an 86-73 score getting Over 8-3-1. I'm looking a high scoring fast pace game, just the Over.

It's never fun taking a road favorite in a conference game, but I think the the disparities between UNC and Pittsburgh are simply too great. UNC has already faced a very tough schedule, facing five Top 20 teams (winning three of those games) culminating in a 9-3 record and a Top 10 ranking. Pittsburgh has faced nobody so far and are coming off a bad loss to Syracuse. I don't think this is a get right spot for the Panthers so I'll lay the points.

The issues for UNC and Hubert Davis are mostly on defense; top portal adds Harrison Ingram (ex-Stanford; 13.9 ppg) & Cormac Ryan (ex-Notre Dame; 11.2 ppg), while providing valued extra dimensions, are often stuck against quicker opponents, which Tennessee and UConn both exploited in December when each hit well above 50% from the floor. Still, there is compelling weaponry, including a couple of long-serving holdovers from the Final Four team of 2022, PG RJ Davis & 6-10 PF Armando Bacot for an offense scoring at a brisk 86.2 ppg. Pitt's heavy reliance upon 6-8 sr. F Blake Hinson is liable to backfire as in the recent loss to Syracuse when Hinson struggled (just 3 of 12 from floor) in an 81-73 setback. Play UNC