College basketball picks today: Boston College-UNC prediction, odds, spread for Jan. 17

The North Carolina Tar Heels will host the Boston College Eagles on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Tipoff from Chapel Hill, NC is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET while airing on ACC Network Extra and WatchESPN. Let's take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

Boston College vs. North Carolina odds

Spread: UNC -14
Over/Under: 143.5
Moneyline: UNC -1200, BC +700

Boston College (8-10, 2-5 ACC) has dropped the games in a row to Duke, Miami FL, and Wake Forest respectively. The Eagles played Duke tough but lost 64-65 at home. The other two recent games were blowouts, as Boston College lost by 16 at Miami and 22 vs. Wake Forest. The Eagles rank 279th in adjusted defensive efficiency, which has served as the culprit for many of their losses.

North Carolina (12-6, 4-3 ACC) has underachieved so far this season. The Tar Heels were No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll, but they have since fallen out of the Top 25. However, there's reason to believe that UNC could be heading in the right direction after winning seven of its last nine games. Tar Heels star forward Armando Bacot left after only playing one minute in their most recent loss at No. 10 Virginia, but he bounced back with 14 points and 16 rebounds in an 80-59 win at Louisville on Saturday. Having said that, UNC forward Pete Nance is questionable with a back injury.

The Pick: Under 143.5

This feels like a classic under. North Carolina has been favored by 12.5 points or more seven times this season. The final score has fallen under the total in five of those games. The Tar Heels should be able to build a respectable lead and then coast while preserving their best players (mostly Bacot) for future games. On the other side, Boston College will play at a relatively slow pace with an aforementioned inefficient offense.

  
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