No. 24 Louisville vs No. 18 North Carolina Preview, Odds, Predictions (Feb. 23)

• The Cardinals went 6-1 in their last seven conference games.
• The Tar Heels are managing their health with players going in and out.
• This marks the 29th all-time matchup between the two ACC squads.

The first matchup of the Feb. 23 schedule will commence in the ACC when the No. 24 Louisville Cardinals face the North Carolina Tar Heels. The former stands out as the slight favorite, being on the road as the hosts are dealing with injuries to key players.

How to Watch

• When: Monday, Feb. 23, 7 pm ET
• Where: Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• How to Watch: ESPN

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

The No. 24 Cardinals (20-7, 9-5 ACC) are in the upper bracket of the conference standings, having a solid campaign with Pat Kelsey as their head coach. They’ve won six of their last seven games, vying for favorable position to end conference play. Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell lead the way as Louisville’s dynamic scoring duo. Brown commands the attack with 18.6 points, 4.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game. Conwell follows suit with 18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest as the team’s best 3-point shooter with 86 made triples and counting.

The No. 18 Tar Heels (21-6, 9-5 ACC) have been resilient in managing through conference play despite going through injuries with Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble. Trimble and Veesaar are back in the rotation while Wilson nurses his hand injury, hoping for a quick return as North Carolina is better with his presence on the court. Veesaar will look to be impactful with averages of 16.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Meanwhile, Trimble could make big plays down the stretch with 13.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest.

Louisville vs North Carolina Head-to-Head

The two programs have had 28 meetings in their history, and the result is 20-8 for the Tar Heels. The last matchup was on New Year’s Day of 2025 when Louisville won 83-70 on the road.

Louisville vs North Carolina Predictions

Every team across the country is going through the final weeks of conference play as both Louisville and North Carolina look to end the regular-season strong. The Tar Heels could have a chance to defend homecourt and take down Louisville despite still missing Caleb Wilson’s presence. However, if they can’t contain the explosive attack with Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell, the Cardinals can leave the North Carolina fans in a negative state throughout the duel. Our betting pick here is the Cardinals to cover a 3-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: Louisville Cardinals -3