Saint Peter’s vs. North Carolina Odds, Prediction & Picks

Can a historic March Madness run for Saint Peter’s go all the way to New Orleans? After sending Kentucky, Murray State, and Purdue packing to become the first #15 seed ever to reach the Elite Eight, the Peacocks aim to become the first #15 seed in the Final Four as they take on #8 seed North Carolina in the East Regional final in Philadelphia.

The East has been a region of chaos in this year’s NCAA Tournament, with the two regional finalists doing their part to blow things wide open. Saint Peter’s dumped out #2 seed Kentucky in the first round and #3 seed Purdue in the Sweet 16, while North Carolina eliminated #1 seed Baylor in the second round and #4 UCLA in the Sweet 16.

Each of the other three regions has at least one top-four seed reach the Elite Eight, with #2 Duke and #2 Villanova advancing out of the West and South, respectively, and Midwest top seed Kansas looking to join them in the Final Four.

We are set for an amazing storyline regardless of who advances out of the East. If it is North Carolina, we will see a #8 seed in the Final Four and a Duke-North Carolina matchup in New Orleans. If Saint Peter’s wins, it will be the first time a #12, #13, #14, #15, or #16 seed has reached the Final Four.

2022 NCAA Tournament East Regional Final: #15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs. #8 North Carolina Tar Heels Elite Eight Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Game Matchup: #15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks (22-11) vs. #8 North Carolina Tar Heels (27-9)
• Venue & Location: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Date: Sunday, March 27, 2022
• Time: 5:05 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

Saint Peter’s vs. North Carolina Betting Odds

• Spread: Saint Peter’s +8.5 (-110), North Carolina -8.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 138 (-110), UNDER 138 (-110)
• Moneyline: Saint Peter’s +320, North Carolina -420

Odds are via Bovada Sportsbook.

Will Love Conquer the Peacocks to Send Tar Heels to New Orleans?

At this point, doubting Saint Peter’s is, well, very silly, isn’t it? The Peacocks spent a lot of time trailing against Purdue, but they never found themselves out of striking distance, and when time to strike came, strike they did.

Purdue clearly underestimated the Peacocks’ players and coaching staff, doing the very thing I didn’t foresee them doing. Why they would when the Peacocks played as well as they did against Kentucky and Murray State is beyond me, but they paid the price for it.

Of course, it wasn’t all about what Purdue didn’t do. As was the case against the Wildcats and Racers, Saint Peter’s coach Shaheen Holloway made all of the necessary adjustments whenever the Boilermakers made a run or threatened to pull away. And more importantly, the players never got rattled. Instead, it was Purdue’s players who did.

So, can they do it again against North Carolina? The Tar Heels have showed similar fortitude against higher-seeded opponents in their last two games.

Against #1 seed Baylor in the second round, North Carolina weathered the ejection of Brady Manek, a subsequent collapse, and one of the most incredible comebacks you’ll ever see to eliminate the Bears in overtime.

In Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup with #4 seed UCLA, the Tar Heels found themselves down 64-61 with two minutes remaining. But Caleb Love hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions to give UNC the lead, and they finished on a 12-2 run in a 73-66 win.

Once again, North Carolina’s top four players led the way, though Armando Bacot was the only one with a decent shooting percentage.

Scoring Leaders for North Carolina vs. UCLA

• Caleb Love: 30 points (11-24 FG, 6-13 3PT, 2-2 FT)
• Armando Bacot: 14 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 FT)
• Brady Manek: 13 points (5-13 FG, 3-10 3PT)
• R.J. Davis: 12 points (3-11 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-5 FT)

The Tar Heels had their worst shooting performance of the tournament, making only 40.9 percent (27 of 66) of their shots from the field and 32.3 percent (10 of 31) from three. But when they needed baskets down the stretch, they got them. Will they do the same against Saint Peter’s?

Rebounding also continued to play a key role for North Carolina. Bacot had a big offensive rebound to lead to Love’s game-tying three, and he had another offensive rebound and a big putback to put the Tar Heels up 69-64 with 22 seconds left. Against UCLA, he had 15 rebounds, including eight offensive rebounds. Bacot has double-doubles in each NCAA Tournament game and 28 in 36 games this season.

Saint Peter’s had to contend with Purdue’s twin towers of Zach Edey and Trevion Williams, and a big reason for their win is how well they handled that task. Edey was 5 of 7 from the field, but he had only two rebounds and turned the ball over five times. Williams was more successful, posting 16 points and eight rebounds, but he had only one point in the final 5:17 after putting Purdue ahead 56-52.

So, in other words, whatever North Carolina has to throw at Saint Peter’s, the Peacocks will be prepared for it.

Saint Peter’s vs. North Carolina Prediction and Spread & Over/Under Betting Picks

North Carolina 77, Saint Peter’s 65 (North Carolina -8.5 & OVER 138)

The game can easily get away from you once you fall behind by three or four possessions, and the Peacocks have not found themselves in that position at any point in their amazing run.

Kentucky’s biggest lead was six points, which came with 4:13 left in regulation, and the Peacocks responded by outscoring the Wildcats 9-3 to end regulation and force overtime. Purdue’s biggest lead was five points, when they went up 9-4 three minutes into the game. Saint Peter’s responded with a three on their next possession and never trailed by more than four at any other point.

Both Kentucky and Purdue were unable to put Saint Peter’s away, which proved costly for both in the end. If North Carolina finds themselves with a chance to do so, they need to not waste it, because we have seen what can happen.

Ultimately, the Tar Heels should win, and they should win comfortably. But Saint Peter’s has defied the odds three times already in the NCAA Tournament, and it would not be a surprise if they do it for a fourth time.