North Carolina faces Ole Miss in NCAA Tournament matchup

North Carolina and Ole Miss are set to face each other in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday. The game will take place at Fiserv Forum, starting at 4:05 p.m. ET. North Carolina, the No. 11 seed, is coming off a strong win against San Diego State, finishing that game with a score of 95-68. They ended the regular season with a record of 23 wins and 13 losses. Ole Miss, the No. 6 seed, has a record of 22 wins and 11 losses but struggled towards the end, losing two of their last three games. As for the betting odds, North Carolina is favored by 1.5 points. The expected total points scored in the game is 155.5. Before placing any bets, fans are encouraged to check predictions from a proven model that has successfully predicted outcomes in several past tournaments. This model simulates games thousands of times, giving users valuable insights into potential outcomes. North Carolina's star guard RJ Davis stands out on the team. He scores an average of 17.3 points per game and had a remarkable performance with 26 points in the last game. Sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau also plays a crucial role and has been effective in managing the game. On the other side, Ole Miss relies on senior guard Sean Pedulla, who averages 14.7 points and stands out for his playmaking ability. Junior forward Malik Dia has also been a key contributor, frequently scoring in double digits. The prediction model leans towards a higher scoring game, forecasting a total of 153 points. It also suggests that one side of the spread could hit in nearly 60% of simulations. Fans and bettors are eager to see how this matchup unfolds.