The 4th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide (23-11) face the top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels (29-7) Thursday in a West Region Sweet 16 matchup. Tip-off from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is set for 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Alabama vs. North Carolina odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Alabama, ranked No. 18 in the , has advanced in the tournament with victories over Charleston and Grand Canyon. In the latter win, a 72-61 triumph covering as 5-point favorites Sunday, the Tide had to battle back from a 3-point deficit with 5:43 remaining.
North Carolina, tabbed as the national No. 4 in the coaches poll, has defeated Wagner and Michigan State. The Tar Heels’ Saturday win over MSU was a sturdy 85-69 job, covering a 4-point spread. Since Feb. 17, UNC is 10-1 with an average margin of victory of 13.1 points.
UA and UNC have met twice in the last 5 years, both times in early-season tournaments on neutral floors. The Tar Heels won in 2019 in a contest played in the Bahamas. In 2022, Alabama nipped North Carolina 103-101 in an overtime contest played in Portland.