Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction 1/21/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and North Carolina Tar Heels meet Wednesday in the college basketball action at the Western Hall. Here’s a Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction. This article will include a Notre Dame vs North Carolina Pick.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost to Virginia Tech and Miami, and they play Boston College next. Notre Dame has lost 4 straight games.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are averaging 73.4 points on 45.5 percent shooting and allowing 69.3 points on 41.9 percent shooting. Markus Burton is averaging 18.5 points and 2.8 rebounds, while Jalen Haralson is averaging 14.7 points and 3.5 rebounds. Braeden Shrewsberry is the third double-digit scorer and Cole Certa is grabbing 1.4 rebounds. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are shooting 36.2 percent from beyond the arc and 69.7 percent from the free throw line. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are allowing 31 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.2 rebounds per game.

North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Preview

The North Carolina Tar Heels lost to Stanford and Cal, and they play Virginia next. North Carolina has lost 3 of its last 4 games.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are averaging 81.9 points on 48 percent shooting and allowing 69.6 points on 39.8 percent shooting. Caleb Wilson is averaging 19.7 points and 10.6 rebounds, while Henri Veesaar is averaging 17.2 points and 9.1 rebounds. Seth Trimble is the third double-digit scorer and Luka Bogavac is grabbing 2.8 rebounds. The North Carolina Tar Heels are shooting 33.8 percent from beyond the arc and 67.4 percent from the free throw line. The North Carolina Tar Heels are allowing 33.9 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 37.1 rebounds per game.

Why the North Carolina Tar Heels will win

• North Carolina has won each of its last 16 night games at Dean E. Smith Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Notre Dame has lost 12 of its last 13 games against AP-ranked opponents.
• Notre Dame has lost the first half in each of its last six night games against AP-ranked opponents.

Why the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will win

• North Carolina has lost four of its last five January games as an AP-ranked team against a non-AP-ranked team.

Total Points Facts

• Each of the last five games between Notre Dame and North Carolina at Dean E. Smith Center have produced a total of 145 or fewer points.
• Twenty-seven of Notre Dame’s last 31 night games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 145 or fewer points.

Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction

Notre Dame isn’t as talented as it’s been in the past, but it gets after it defensively and does have a couple of road wins. North Carolina could win comfortably off the talent alone, but it’s lost 3 of its last 4 games and has failed to cover 4 straight games. UNC just lost to Stanford and Cal, not playing a lick of defense in either spot. Since February 2023, Notre Dame is 11-5 ATS as a double-digit underdog. It’s just hard to lay this many points with a North Carolina team given its recent efforts and the fact the Irish get after it defensively. Give me the points.

Randy Chambers's Pick: Notre Dame +11.5