The letdown theory gets a test here as Clemson will be on the court 48 hours after its rousing win over 2nd-ranked Duke at Littlejohn on Saturday. Meanwhile, every game is effectively a bubble eliminator for the Tar Heels, who began their gauntlet of must-win games by squeezing past Pitt on Saturday. The march onto the safe side of the Big Dance cut-line requires similar results, but Hubert Davis does have ample backcourt firepower led by vet G RJ Davis (17.4 ppg) detonating an 81 ppg offense, even though UNC gets inconsistent production from its frontline. The Tigers' history vs. the Tar Heels is spotty, with wins rare and usually close and losses numerous, like last season's 65-55 home loss. Play North Carolina.

North Carolina gets a lot of higher totals because of their tempo -- which rates top 25 nationally, per KenPom, and 2nd in ACC conference play -- but the Tar Heels have not been efficient enough to get points out of those extra possessions. UNC's offensive efficiency in conference play ranks 13th in the ACC and it's contributed to 10-2 run for the under in the Tar Heels' conference games. When combine that with Clemson's methodical pace, things are aligned for another lower-scoring game on Monday night.

You're going to hear that this is a classic "let down" spot for Clemson after their big win against Duke, but UNC is simply not a good basketball team and their cover rate has been abysmal. UNC escaped with a narrow win against Pittsburgh on Saturday, but they have struggled all season, particularly on the road. Clemson's defense should get after UNC and turn them over and UNC will need to shoot well to keep up. Clemson pulls away at home.