David Connelly

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We are in for a dandy of an early-season matchup on Friday night between two blue-blood programs, as Kansas hosts North Carolina. It marks just the second top-ten matchup of the season and will be a great early look at how these teams stack up against legitimate competition.
Let&#8217;s take a closer look at the matchup between the Tar Heels and Jayhawks, including tip times, television coverage, betting odds, and a brief preview of what to watch for, along with a best bet.
More CBB: <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaab/article/uconn-huskies-2024-25-preview-big-east-basketball-predictions">UConn Season Preview</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaab/article/st-johns-red-storm-2024-25-preview-big-east-basketball-predictions">St. John&#8217;s Season Preview</a> | <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaab/article/marquette-golden-eagles-2024-25-preview-big-east-basketball-predictions">Marquette Season Preview</a>
<h2 class="p-rich_text_section">How to Watch No. 9 North Carolina vs No. 1 Kansas</h2>
<ul class="p-rich_text_list p-rich_text_list__bullet" data-stringify-type="unordered-list" data-indent="0" data-border="0">
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">TV: ESPN2 | Streaming: ESPN App</li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">Time: 7:00 p.m. ET  |  Location: Allen Fieldhouse &#8211; Lawrence, KS</li>
</ul>
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<h2 class="p-rich_text_section">No. 9 North Carolina vs No. 1 Kansas FanDuel Odds</h2>
<ul class="p-rich_text_list p-rich_text_list__bullet" data-stringify-type="unordered-list" data-indent="0" data-border="0">
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">Spread: North Carolina +7.5 (-106) | Kansas -7.5 (-114)</li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">Moneyline: NC State (+340) | Purdue (-450)</li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">Total: OVER 146.5 (-110) | UNDER 146.5 (-110)</li>
</ul>
This will be a serious litmus test for North Carolina&#8217;s frontcourt. It has constantly been deemed the weakness of this roster throughout the offseason, and there are few more significant tests in <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaab">college basketball</a> than  <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cbb/players/hunter-dickinson/15823">Hunter Dickinson</a> and <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cbb/players/kj-adams/15832">K.J. Adams</a> inside the Allen Fieldhouse. The frontcourt pair complement each other incredibly well and will wreak havoc in this matchup. The Jayhawks boast talent all over their roster. When All-Big Ten Second-Team selection <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cbb/players/aj-storr/13459">A.J. Storr</a> and Summit League Player of the Year <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cbb/players/zeke-mayo/9316">Zeke Mayo</a> are coming off your bench, there is almost zero dip in production when head coach Bill Self chooses to utilize his bench.
As for where the Tar Heels can find some success, it&#8217;ll be through their leader and point guard <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cbb/players/rj-davis/15113">RJ Davis</a>. He will continue to operate as the focal point of their offense, and this is a great spot for him to stake an early claim in a wide-open National Player of the Year race. The area of intrigue for head coach Hubert Davis will be what he decides to do with his rotation against the Jayhawks. <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cbb/players/cade-tyson/11420">Cade Tyson</a> was expected to be in a bigger role, but struggled in their season-opener against Elon. If he is the four on the court for the Tar Heels, it leaves them with a small lineup that will be prone to some bully-ball from Kansas&#8217;s bigs. It&#8217;s a chess match to watch.
This will be a blockbuster matchup in front of a rocking crowd, and we hope for a competitive showing that provides some buzz to early-season college hoops. But we just cannot get past the stark dichotomy in talent and ability between these two frontcourt. Dickinson will be able to eat at will in the paint, and any double-teams will provide him the opportunity to kick it out to the Jayhawks&#8217; capable shooters. Back the home side, even at this hefty spread, and consider some Dickinson props as well.
The Pick: Kansas -7.5
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North Carolina vs. Kansas: Friday’s Game Preview & Pick

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The stage is set for an intriguing early-season matchup, and we've got you prepared with a preview of Friday night's matchup between North Carolina and Kansas.

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