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Teams coming off opening-game losses clash when the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs face the North Carolina Central Eagles on Friday afternoon. Gardner-Webb dropped an 80-64 decision at Tennessee on Monday, while NC Central fell 75-58 at George Mason that same night. The Bulldogs (0-1), who finished third in the Big South at 11-5, finished last season at 17-16 overall. The Eagles (0-1), who tied for second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference at 9-5, were 18-13 overall in 2023-24.
Tip-off from McDougald-McLendon Arena in Durham, N.C., is set for 1 p.m. ET. The all-time series is tied 2-2, but North Carolina Central has won both meetings in Durham. The Eagles are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 142.5. Before making any Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024-25 season on a 153-110 betting roll (+1891) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Gardner-Webb vs. NC Central. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for NC Central vs. Gardner-Webb:
- Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central spread: North Carolina Central -3.5
- Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central over/under: 142.5 points
- Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central money line: North Carolina Central -160, Gardner-Webb +135
- GW: The Bulldogs have hit the money line in 12 of their last 16 games (+9.25 units)
- NCC: The Eagles have hit the game total over in nine of their last 10 games (+7.90 units)
- Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why you should back North Carolina Central
Junior guard Josh Smith paced the Eagles in the season opener, scoring 14 points, while grabbing two rebounds and adding one block and one steal. He is in his second year in the program. Last season, he played in 27 games, including two starts. In 10.6 minutes of action, he averaged six points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists. Prior to his time at North Carolina Central, he played in 30 games for Independence Community College where he averaged 13.9 points in 21.9 minutes.
Senior guard Isaac Parson scored 13 points and added an assist in 14 minutes of play in the loss to George Mason. He is in his first season with the program after playing three seasons at Winston-Salem State. Last year, he appeared in 28 games with 26 starts for the Rams, averaging 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists. He started 25 of 28 games in 2022-23, averaging 10.6 points and 3.1 assists. He led his team in 3-point percentage at 43%. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Gardner-Webb
Sophomore guard Darryl Simmons II had the hot hand against Tennessee. In 34 minutes of action, he poured in 22 points, while adding one steal, one assist and one rebound. He is in his second year with the program, after playing in 32 games a year ago. In 2023-24, he averaged 2.8 points and nearly one rebound and one assist in 10.2 minutes. Before going to Gardner-Webb, Simmons was rated as the No. 9 senior prospect in Connecticut and as one of the top-25 players in New England by scouting services.
Senior guard Anthony Selden also played well in the loss to the Volunteers in his first game back after a year away. He added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists with one block in 31 minutes. He spent three seasons at Gardner-Webb before leaving for Rice last season. In 29 games at Rice, including six starts, he averaged 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 16.4 minutes. He had started 30 of 31 games for the Bulldogs in 2022-23, averaging 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds in 27.4 minutes. See which team to pick here.
How to make Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 139 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Gardner-Webb vs. North Carolina Central, and which side of the spread cashes in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $1,900 on its college basketball picks dating back to 2023, and find out.
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