- The #4 Alabama Crimson Tide will face the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2024 Sweet 16
- Bama won an epic four-OT game against UNC last season
- Below, find the opening Alabama vs North Carolina odds, including point spread, game total, and moneyline
In a very chalky West Region, the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels will face the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
North Carolina has opened as the favorite in what projects to be a fast-paced, high-scoring game. The West Regional Sweet 16 will take place at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, on Thursday, March 28.
Alabama vs North Carolina Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| #4 Alabama Crimson Tide | +3.5 (-110) | + | O (-110) |
| #1 North Carolina Tar Heels | -3.5 (-110) | – | U (-110) |
UNC has opened as 3.5-point favorites against the spread in the Alabama vs North Carolina odds.
North Carolina Counterpunch KOs Michigan State
After blowing by #16 Wagner in their tournament-opener (85-61), the Tar Heels were in trouble early against #9 Michigan State in the second round. MSU was up 26-14 midway through the first half and, at that point, had a 72.5% win probability according to KenPom. But the Tar Heels would go on a 26-3 run (which spanned halftime) to take a double-digit lead that was never seriously threatened.
UNC’s three leading scorers all had big games. Senior guard RJ Davis (21.3 PPG) led the way with 20 points, while senior forward Armando Bacot added 18 points and seven rebounds and junior wing Harrison Ingram had 17 points and seven boards.
Davis also had a team-high 22 against Wagner and has scored at least 20 in each of his last four games.
North Carolina currently sits ninth at KenPom and was as high as sixth earlier in the season. They won the ACC regular-season title with a 17-3 record in conference play before losing in the ACC Tournament final to NC State.
Last season, Alabama took a four-overtime thriller against UNC (103-101) in Portland as part of the Phil Knight Invitational. While both teams have several new faces in their rotations, their current stars were (mostly) part of that game. Mark Sears led Alabama with 24 points and five assists. Bacot had 20 points and 10 rebounds for UNC, while Davis added 19 points, nine boards, and four dimes.
Alabama Offense Stays Hot
All season, Alabama has paired an elite offense with a highly-suspect defense. Its first-round game with #13 Charleston exemplified that dynamic to a tee. With senior guard Mark Sears scoring a game-high 30 points, the Tide hit triple-digits for the eighth time this season in a 109-93 victory. Alabama shot 60% from the field, including 56.5% from three (13-of-23).
Bama’s second-round game with #12 Grand Canyon was a much tamer affair by comparison. After Alabama took an eight-point lead into halftime (38-30), Grand Canyon would storm back in the second to take a 58-55 lead with six minutes to play. But Bama went on a 14-3 run to end the game and, with it, GCU’s 30-win season.
Sears led the way again with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. The Second-Team All-American has now scored at least 20 points in 15 of his last 16 games, including eight in a row.
Alabama sits 14th overall at KenPom (and 15th at Haslametrics). Their offense is fourth in efficiency, while their defense was 118th before the GCU game.
The winner of Alabama vs UNC will face the winner of #6 Clemson vs #2 Arizona on Saturday, March 30.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are set to face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and early odds have the Tar Heels as the favorites in this matchup.
The Tar Heels, who are the No. 8 seed in the East Region, have been playing some of their best basketball of the season in recent weeks. Led by star guard Caleb Love and forward Armando Bacot, North Carolina has been dominant on both ends of the court, particularly on the offensive end where they have been averaging over 80 points per game.
On the other hand, the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are the No. 4 seed in the East Region, have also been playing well in the tournament so far. Led by guard Jahvon Quinerly and forward Jaden Shackelford, Alabama has been a strong defensive team, holding their opponents to under 70 points per game.
When comparing the odds for this Sweet 16 matchup, most sportsbooks have the Tar Heels as slight favorites over the Crimson Tide. The odds may vary slightly depending on the sportsbook, but overall, North Carolina is expected to come out on top in this game.
However, it’s important to note that anything can happen in March Madness, and upsets are always a possibility. Both teams have shown that they are capable of playing at a high level, so this game could go either way.
Overall, the Tar Heels are favored in their Sweet 16 matchup against Alabama, but fans should expect a competitive and exciting game between these two talented teams. It will be interesting to see which team comes out on top and advances to the Elite Eight.
