Halftime Report
Dayton has overcome an early deficit to take the lead back in this one. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead N. Carolina 51-33.
Dayton entered the game having won five straight and they’re just one half away from another. Will they make it six, or will N. Carolina step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.
Who’s Playing
Dayton Flyers @ N. Carolina Tar Heels
Current Records: Dayton 5-0, N. Carolina 3-1
How To Watch
What to Know
Dayton has played every game this season on their home court, but they’ll have to hit the road on Monday. They will face off against the N. Carolina Tar Heels at 11:30 p.m. ET at Lahaina Civic Center. The Flyers are strutting in with some offensive muscle as they’ve averaged 77 points per game this season.
N. Carolina better have a healthy lead at halftime, because if last week is any indication, that’s when Dayton really get things going. Dayton was the clear victor by a 74-53 margin over N. Mex. State on Wednesday. The Flyers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three games by 21 points or more this season.
Among those leading the charge was Nate Santos, who went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 23 points plus eight rebounds. That’s the most threes he has posted since back in December of 2023. Another player making a difference was Javon Bennett, who earned seven points along with six assists and five rebounds.
Dayton was working as a unit and finished the game with 20 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as N. Mex. State only posted ten.
Meanwhile, N. Carolina didn’t have too much trouble with Hawaii on Saturday as they won 87-69. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Tar Heels.
N. Carolina’s win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Elliot Cadeau, who went 7 for 8 en route to 17 points plus two steals. Seth Trimble was another key player, earning 13 points in addition to two steals.
Dayton pushed their record up to 5-0 with the victory, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season. As for N. Carolina, their win bumped their record up to 3-1.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as the two teams are some of the highest scoring teams in the league. Dayton hasn’t had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 77 points per game. However, it’s not like N. Carolina struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 93.2. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
Dayton is hoping to beat the odds on Monday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss. This will be their first time playing as the underdogs this season.
Odds
N. Carolina is a solid 7-point favorite against Dayton, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Tar Heels as a 7.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 155.5 points.
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