Dean E. Smith Center - Chapel Hill, NC
Tip-off: Friday, 8:00 p.m.
Line: North Carolina -17, Total: 147.5

The No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels look to start the 2014 season on a positive note, as they host the North Carolina Central Eagles.

The Eagles (2-3 ATS) set a school record last season by winning 28 games, including a win against NC-State. They also were very competitive against Iowa State and Wichita State, both teams who were in the Top 10 at different points last season. The two programs have only played one time in the school’s history, with the Tar Heels winning the game, 89-42, in 2009. That game was the first game for the Eagles coach LeVelle Moton, who has done a tremendous job of building his program. The preseason favorites in the MEAC conference bring back a lot of talent from last season’s team, and the matchup against UNC will be a great test to see how they compete against the best. The Tar Heels took some steps towards regaining its dominance last season, but this is the year many people think the team will get back to competing for championships. North Carolina (16-18 ATS) looked great at times last year in defeating three teams in the Top 11 at the time they played, but they also lost games to Belmont and UAB. If the team is focused and playing up to its potential, the Tar Heels should be too much for the Eagles.

Can UNC get off to a fast start in 2014 with a win against North Carolina Central? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks. The experts are coming off an unbelievable 2013-14 college basketball season where the five men combined for a 60% ATS record (332-225-19), including 62% ATS (56-35-3) in the NCAA Tournament. StatFox Brian led the way with a 69% ATS record (76-34-4) on this season, which included a 77% ATS run (44-13-4) from Jan. 17 to the end of the season. StatFox Dave was 74% ATS (14-5) in Best Bets for the 2014 NCAA Tournament to finish at 62% ATS for the season. StatFox Scott finished 59% ATS (65-46-5) for season Best Bets, while StatFox Gary was close behind with a 57% ATS mark (64-49-2) in college basketball Best Bets.

Leading scorer Jeremy Ingram is no longer on the team, but that should open up an opportunity for Jordan Parks (10.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 58% threes) to become the star of the team. He was able to average those numbers in only 19 MPG, and he should see those numbers become closer to 30. F Jay Copeland (7.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 52% FG) is a physical player in the post who knows how to use his body and get position. He will be huge in this game as the Tar Heels guys aren’t physical, but very athlete. If he is able to put a body on the North Carolina post players, he could be in position for a strong game on the glass.

Thhere are big expectations for North Carolina this season, in large part because of PG Marcus Paige (17.5 PPG, 4.2 APG, 39% threes). Paige burst onto the scene as one of the top players in the country, as he does a great job of both finishing, and distributing to his open teammate. With his tremendous size, the Tar Heels are going to move him around the court, allowing the team to find its best scoring lineups. He could see time at the 1,2 or even the three in this game. He is the type of player who shines in the biggest games, averaging 20.6 PPG in postseason play last year. Junior PF Brice Johnson (10.3 PPG, 57% FG, 6.1 RPG) is a guy that has a chance for a breakout season, similar to Paige last year. He is a terrific athlete at 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, who can get out and run with most posts in the country. Johnson was able to put up those numbers in only 19.4 MPG last year, and he should see the minutes jump to 25-to-30 MPG. For the Tar Heels to make a serious run, they will have to get big contributions from freshmen swingmen Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson. This is a team that has the guys that can get out and run the floor. The Eagles are going to look to slow the pace of this game, so the Tar Heels will have to play great on defense to set up opportunities to run the ball.