— Sunday, March 27th Saint Peter’s Peacocks @ North Carolina Tar Heels
The final Elite Eight game is going to be historic on Sunday, one way or the other. Either No. 8 North Carolina (27-9) will reach a record 21st Final Four and a matchup with rival Duke, or No. 15 St. Peter’s (22-11) will be the highest seed to ever reach a Final Four. Tipoff on Sunday is set for 5:05 p.m. ET on CBS from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
North Carolina has reached the Final Four in eight straight decades, but their last appearance was when they won it all in 2017 under Roy Williams. First-year coach Hubert Davis could join Bill Guthridge as the only Tar Heels coaches to reach the Final Four in their first season. These teams have never met, and St. Peter’s had never won a NCAA Tournament game before the upset of Kentucky last week.
The Slipper Still Fits
St. Peter’s is 22-9-1 ATS on the season, and the under is 19-13 in their 32 games with odds. They are 6-0 on a neutral floor this season and have won 10 straight games dating back to February 20. They have already knocked off Kentucky and Purdue and now look to add another blue blood to their victims’ list.
The Peacocks frustrated Purdue all game on Friday, forcing 15 turnovers from a team that averaged nine in the regular season. They also limited the Boilermakers to 5-of-21 from 3-point range, and that perimeter defense will be tested again on Sunday. SPC lost the rebounding battle against the much taller Boilermakers by 11, but both teams took 54 shots from the field.
Daryl Banks III led the team in scoring against Purdue with 14 points, and he also led the way in the first-round win over Kentucky with 27 points. Doug Edert had 20 points against Kentucky, 13 against Murray State, and ten against Purdue. KC Ndefo had a 17-point, 10-rebound double double against Murray State last weekend but fouled out with just four points against Kentucky.
St. Peter’s has made 82% of their free throws in the tournament, averaging 20 makes per game. On the season, they shot 68.1% from the line, 35% from 3-point range, and 43% from the field while averaging 66.9 ppg.
Tar Heels Finding the Love
UNC is 19-16-1 ATS this season, and the over is 21-14-1 in their 36 games. They are 4-4 in neutral site games after starting the season 0-3 in neutral site games.
The Tar Heels have played the highest-seed possible until this round. They defeated No. 9 Marquette 95-63 in the first round, No. 1 Baylor 93-86 in overtime in the second round, and No. 4 UCLA 73-68 in the Sweet Sixteen.
For the most part, UNC plays a seven-man rotation, and the bench saw just 15 minutes total in the UCLA game. Caleb Love played all 40 minutes and scored 30 points while Armando Bacot scored 14, Brady Manek had 13, and R.J. Davis had 12. Manek has scored 67 points in the tournament, while Love has 53 and Bacot has 46 to go with 41 rebounds.
No team in the tournament has shot better than 43% against the Peacocks, and UNC shoots 46% from the field on the season, including 37.4% from deep. In the tournament, the Tar Heels have made 39.5% of their 3-pointers, with at least ten made in each game. They are also +33 on the glass in the tournament and have had ten or less turnovers in two of the three wins.
Saint Peter’s vs North Carolina Betting Analysis
- Saint Peter’s Peacocks +8.5 (-110). Money Line +260
- North Carolina Tar Heels -8.5 (-110). Money Line -350
- Total Points 137.5 Over -110. Under -110.
This game should be fun as we find out the final team in the 2022 Final Four. St. Peter’s has a chance to be the biggest Cinderella in tournament history while UNC knows a massive game against Duke looms next weekend in New Orleans. Whoever shakes the nerves first will have a big advantage but look for this one to stay close down to the wire.
Betting Pick: Saint Peter’s +8.5 (-110)
For more NCAAB betting picks and previews, check out our picks page.