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The No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels will try to build on their strong start to the season when they host the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs on Tuesday night. North Carolina has opened the year with wins over UNC-Wilmington and Charleston, winning both games by double digits. Gardner-Webb is amid a seven-game road trip that has started with losses to Colorado State and Stephen F. Austin

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Tar Heels are favored by 22 points in the latest North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 142. Before entering any UNC vs. Gardner-Webb picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for UNC vs. Gardner-Webb:

  • North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb spread: North Carolina -22
  • North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb over/under: 142 points
  • North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb money line: North Carolina -7000, Gardner-Webb +1600
  • North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb picks: See picks here

Why North Carolina can cover

North Carolina has already picked up a pair of double-digit wins to open the season, and this is a solid scheduling spot for the Tar Heels, who are at home for the third straight game. Gardner-Webb is having to go on the road for the third consecutive contest, giving North Carolina an edge. The Tar Heels shot 60.3% from the floor against Charleston, which was their best percentage since Hubert Davis took over as head coach. 

Preseason All-American Armando Bacot leads North Carolina with 22 points per game, while guard Caleb Love is scoring 21 per game. Gardner-Webb failed to cover the 5.5-point spread in its 15-point loss to Stephen F. Austin on Thursday, and it is going to have trouble matching up with North Carolina. The Tar Heels are 18-2 in their last 20 home games and have covered the spread in 10 of their last 13 games. 

Why Gardner-Webb can cover

North Carolina might have ended up winning both of its games by double digits, but the Tar Heels have looked shaky at times so far this season. They were stuck in a close game against UNC Wilmington late in the first half and trailed Charleston at halftime, failing to cover the spread in both games. Their rebounding numbers have been particularly concerning, as they were outrebounded in each contest. 

Gardner-Webb is playing in its 10th season under head coach Tim Craft, so he will not be intimidated by this matchup. The Runnin' Bulldogs knocked off Georgia last season, and they will be motivated for their lone game against a Power 5 team this year. They have covered the spread in eight of their last 10 November games, while North Carolina has failed to cover in eight straight games in November. 

How to make North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb picks

The model has simulated UNC vs. Gardner-Webb 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins North Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb? And which side of the spread hits 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine to see which side of the Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $1,200 on its college basketball picks the last six years, and find out.