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UNC vs Alabama Prediction and Preview

ByKyle Nachtsheim

Dec 4, 2024
UNC vs Alabama Prediction

Read below for a full UNC vs Alabama prediction and preview.

The Tar Heels look to get back on track, entering December with at least three losses for the second time in the last three seasons. After coming back from a 21-point deficit against Dayton in the first round, Carolina suffered back-to-back defeats to Auburn and Michigan State. Alabama saw their own three-game winning streak ended on Saturday when they fell to Oregon in the Players Era championship. This is a rematch of last season’s Sweet 16, with Alabama winning 89-87, closing the Tar Heels series edge to 8-6.
CBB Review contributor Nicholas Elliott, who covers Alabama, gives us a look at the Crimson Tide going into this matchup.

General Information:

Teams: #20 North Carolina (4-3) and #10 Alabama (6-2)

Tip time: 7:15 pm

Watch: ESPN

Listen: WCHL 97.9 FM (Internet Radio)

Latest on Alabama basketball:

Alabama, in the middle of their best five-season run since 2001-06, is coming off a close loss to the Oregon Ducks. Mouhamed Dioubate, after having back-to-back double-digit games for the first time in his career, tied the game with 19 seconds left.

The Tide will be without Latrell Wrightsell Jr. after coach Nate Oats announced today that he would be without the Senior guard for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles injury. Wrightsell had his best stretch so far this season last week, scoring double figures in two of the three games and was shooting 42.2% from three.

Alabama will need Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon to excel in his absence. Clifford Omoruyi was recruited heavily by the Tar Heels in the spring window and will have the chance to go against them. Omoruyi is still looking for his first double-double of the season.  The Tide is still looking to improve on the defensive end and will need to step up against the high-octane Carolina guards.

Latest on UNC basketball:

For the third time under Hubert Davis, Carolina is entering December with a two-game losing streak. While the starting line-up has been the same for all seven games, it looks like freshman Ian Jackson is starting to find his role in the offense.

The freshman out of Bronx, N.Y. set a career-high against Michigan State when he scored 14 points. Another freshman for the Tar Heels, Drake Powell, scored double-digit points for the first time when he led all Carolina players with 18 points.

North Carolina will need to improve on their rebounding if they are to try and give Alabama their third loss of the season. The Heels are currently tied for 177th with an 36.9 rebounding average, while Alabama ranks in the top ten. In their last four games, they were held to under 40 rebounds. Points in the paint have been an issue as well for Carolina, with scoring more than 40 points in the paint twice this season.

 

Prediction: UNC by 1

By Kyle Nachtsheim