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#16 Wagner vs. #1 North Carolina Prediction & NCAA Tournament Picks Today

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament gets underway today, as the field of 68 has already been reduced to 64 teams after the conclusion of Wednesday’s First Four matchups. Wagner played in a First Four matchup on Tuesday, outlasting Howard 71-68 in Dayton, OH, and was awarded a date with North Carolina. The Tar Heels fell short in the ACC Championship, but they received the fourth overall #1 seed and have a great chance to win today and make a deep run in this year’s tournament.

In this article, I give you a few Wagner vs. North Carolina predictions, which you can use to unlock a $250 welcome bonus if you’re located in North Carolina. If you’re not located in NC, don’t worry, you can still earn a $150 sign-up boost from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Get up to date this NCAAB season and check out the latest March Madness odds at a few of the best US Sportsbooks to bet on your favorite schools to take down the nets.

🏀 WAGNER VS. NORTH CAROLINA PREDICTION: North Carolina -24 (-112 at DraftKings)

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Wagner vs. North Carolina Prediction for Thursday's College Basketball Game

The Wagner Seahawks and North Carolina Tar Heels face off today in the first round of the 2024 NCAAB Tournament, and I anticipate a big win for the #1-seeded Heels. North Carolina enters today’s matchup with a 27-7 record and faces a Wagner team that is 17-15 and qualified for the tournament after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament. Wagner took down Howard in a First Four matchup on Tuesday night, but today’s game against UNC won’t be as easy.

The fact Wagner won on Tuesday is remarkable because their roster contains just seven healthy players. They’ll have the same group today, and although they jumped out to an early lead against Howard, the Bison almost pulled off a late-game comeback. Carolina’s depth and size will cause issues for Wagner, and I’m not sure how they’ll slow down RJ Davis, Armando Bacot or Cormac Ryan. The Seahawks have one player taller than 6’ 7”, and Carolina is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. I fully expect the Tar Heels to dominate the glass and get easy second-chance points.

Rhode Island, Seton Hall and Providence are the three toughest teams Wagner has played this season, and they lost those three games by an average of 23.7 points. UNC is head and shoulders above all three of those teams and should cruise to a 25+ point victory. Therefore, my main Wagner vs. North Carolina prediction is on the Tar Heels -24 (-112 at DraftKings).

Wagner vs. North Carolina Round of 64 Picks & March Madness Best Bets Highlighting UNC -24

The Tar Heels have only been favorites by more than 20 points three times this season, and Hubert Davis’ squad went 2-1 against the spread in those contests. In Davis’ first NCAA Tournament appearance leading UNC, the Tar Heels dispatched Marquette 95-63. He wasn’t concerned about taking his foot off the pedal in that game, so I fully expect UNC to play their starters well into the second half. In addition to my pick on UNC -24 (-108 at DraftKings), let’s dive into some of my other Wagner vs. North Carolina best bets.

Another way you could bet on today’s game would be to place a wager on North Carolina O79.5 Total Points (-105 at DraftKings). The Tar Heels average 81.5 points per game (T20th in the country) and have scored 80+ points in eight of the 13 games in which they’ve been double-digit favorites this season. Wager will have no answers for UNC’s size, and so long as the Tar Heels control the pace of today’s game, they should surpass 80 points.

Activate a $150 Bonus Betting on UNC at DraftKings Sportsbook

Whether you choose to fade or follow my Wagner vs. North Carolina best bets, consider risking at least $5 on the game. Why? Because this unlocks the chance to pocket $150 in bonus bets from DraftKings. Here's how:

  • 🔥 CLICK HERE 🔥 to register for a new account on DraftKings, no promo code is required.
  • 💰 Deposit a minimum of $5.
  • 🏀 Head over to the 'College Basketball' wagering section and explore the Wagner vs. North Carolina odds.
  • 💸 Risk $5 using any of my Wagner vs. North Carolina picks

By risking just $5 on any of my Wagner vs. North Carolina predictions, you earn $150 in bonus bets. These tokens are your golden ticket to further action on NCAAB matchups throughout the day. So, ensure you're part of the action by joining one of the best March Madness betting sites ahead of tip-off to utilize any of my Wagner vs. North Carolina picks.

USE THIS LINK to join DraftKings now, and you can unlock a $150+ bonus using my Wagner vs. North Carolina prop bets or any other NCAAB betting selection tonight!

Wagner vs. North Carolina Betting Odds, Lines & Spreads at DraftKings

Here are the latest Wagner vs. North Carolina odds at DraftKings for today's game:

  • Point Spread: Wagner +24.5 (-112) vs. North Carolina -24.5 (-108)
  • Money Line: Wagner (+1800) vs. North Carolina (-5000)
  • Game Total (Over/Under): Over 133.5 (-112) vs. Under 133.5 (-108)

A $108 wager on North Carolina -24.5 (-108 at DraftKings) returns $100 of winnings if the Tar Heels beat Wagner by 25+, while a $112 bet on Wagner +24.5 (-112 at DraftKings) profits $100 if they pull off the upset or lose by fewer than 25. Remember, bet on the Wagner vs. North Carolina spread or any other market at DraftKings to unlock a $250 or $150 DraftKings promo code bonus.

Probable Lineups for Wagner vs. North Carolina Today

Here are the two probable lineups I used to make my Wagner vs. North Carolina pick:

Wagner Seahawks Starting Lineup:

  • F - K. Lewis
  • G - M. Council Jr.
  • G - J. Brown
  • G - J. Ezquerra
  • G - T. Allen

North Carolina Tar Heels Starting Lineup:

  • F - H. Ingram
  • F - A. Bacot
  • G - E. Cadeau
  • G - RJ Davis
  • G - C. Ryan

If you’d rather wait to see the starting lineups at tip-off, you can, but don’t forget to join DraftKings nowto unlock $150 worth of bonus bets using any of my Wagner vs. North Carolina predictions for today’s NCAA Tournament matchup.

ACC Championship Score: NC State vs. North Carolina

North Carolina fell short in the ACC Championship 84-76 against NC State, but I fully expect the Tar Heels to bounce back and win big today!

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