Old North Banter
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UNC vs. Ohio State staff predictions

By Luke Tucker

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 20: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels shoots over Federico Poser #5 of the Elon Phoenix during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 20, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 75-61. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 20: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels shoots over Federico Poser #5 of the Elon Phoenix during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 20, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 75-61. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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On Wednesday night, UNC (6-1) and Ohio State (7-0) will face off in Chapel Hill as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

When UNC and Ohio State matchup on Wednesday night, the two squads will be facing off for the first time since 2017. The contest will mark the 13th-ever game between the two schools, and quite frankly, the Tar Heels have dominated, winning 11 of the 12 prior matchups. Ohio State’s lone victory in the series came all the way back in 1992. Tonight’s game should be an interesting one, considering both teams are currently ranked in the top-seven nationally. You can catch the game at 9:30 pm ET on ESPN. Without further ado, here are Old North Banter’s staff predictions for tonight’s marquee matchup.

Zack Smith (@zackrusmith): UNC 79, Ohio State 75

The Buckeyes have been somewhat of a surprise this year thanks to Kaleb Wesson. In their 7-0 start, the 6-9 junior has put up 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. With that being said, Armando Bacot and Garrison Brooks are going to be in for a battle. I think that it’s a battle that they will ultimately win. Another battle that the Tar Heels will have to deal with is the three-point shooting ability of the Buckeyes. With six guys shooting 40% or better from behind the arc, Carolina will have to be quick on their close outs. I think that they will be able to defend at a high level and score just enough to get the win.

Christian Candeloro (@christiancande3): UNC 72, Ohio State 57

Well, I got the Duke prediction completely wrong, so I’m not going to make the mistake of picking against a local team again. I’ll take the terrific Cole Anthony to lead the Tar Heels to victory in a relatively easy win for the Tar Heels. Ohio State’s three-point shooting is a problem and yes they have Wesson, and yes they beat No. 10 Villanova by 25 points. And yes they brought back a ton of experience and added key veteran transfers…oh man I’m talking myself out of my own prediction. Whatever, the Tar Heels have Anthony and that’s enough for me to go with them.

Luke Tucker (@luketucker19_): Ohio State 63, UNC 57

Last time out, the Tar Heels were run off the court during a six minute span against Michigan, and were unable to recover from a 24-point second-half hole. Team defense was obviously an issue during the 19-0 run, however, perhaps just as concerning is the fact that UNC went six minutes without a basket. Prior to Thursday’s loss, Carolina already had been struggling to score. On the year, they’re averaging just 74.6 points per game, which ranks outside the top 100 in the nation, and is a far cry from the 85.8 points per game from a year ago. Freshman Cole Anthony is a phenomenal young player, but he’s shooting less than 40% on the year and is committing almost as many turnovers as he is assists. Don’t be surprised to see the UNC offense continue to struggle when they take on an Ohio State defense giving up just 52.7 points per game. Look for the Buckeyes to win in a game with lower-than-expected scoring–even if it is in the Dean Dome.

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