Pitt vs. UNC: How to watch, odds, picks, final score predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Pittsburgh visits North Carolina on Wednesday in an ACC rematch between two teams just two games or less behind from the top spot in the conference standings. Before tip-off, here’s the predictions and betting odds – including KenPom analytics – you need to know.

How to watch Pitt vs. North Carolina

Tip-off: 7 p.m. ET

Location: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Channel: ACC Network

Vegas odds

UNC is an 8.5-point favorite over Pitt on Wednesday, according to VegasInsider. The over-under is set at 146.5 points.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: North Carolina

Predicted point differential: 9

Win probability (for UNC): 79.5%

Matchup quality: 76.5

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a tool that measures team strength and uses that to predict outcomes of future performances. ESPN’s BPI has Pitt vs North Carolina ranked as the 7th highest-rated game on Wednesday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: UNC 77, Pitt 70

Win probability (for UNC): 74%

KenPom is another tool that provides advanced analysis across college basketball. Like ESPN, KenPom projects that UNC comes away with a victory over Pitt.

More on Pitt vs UNC

The Panthers and Tar Heels squared off in December in one of the most exciting ACC matchups of the season where Pitt bested North Carolina 76-74 at home. Pitt now travels to Chapel Hill for their rematch, a place the Tar Heels haven’t lost yet this season. In their previous matchup, Pitt guard Jamarius Burton was a huge difference maker, dropping a career-high 31 points versus the Tar Heels on a stellar 82.4% shooting percentage. That performance will be hard to replicate, but another big game out of him or the team’s leading scorer and rebounder Blake Hinson would be a huge boost for the Panthers.

The Tar Heels are coming fresh off of a one-week bye, and looking to pick up where they left off before. North Carolina heads into this matchup with four straight wins, most recently winning a down-to-the-wire road matchup versus Syracuse by four points. In that game, guard RJ Davis took a big charge in the closing moments of the game that swung momentum in the Tar Heels direction, but also led to an eye injury on a blow taken to the face. Hubert Davis expressed that he was on track to play on Wednesday, but he feels the opposite about forward Puff Johnson, whose missed the past two weeks with a knee injury and is still unlikely to play.