VCU vs. UNC First Round Game Preview, Picks, Betting Odds & Data

By Thom Cunningham | Mar 18, 2026, 6:08pm

The VCU Rams are coming fresh off an A-10 Tournament victory as they will face the UNC Tar Heels in a very interesting No. 11 vs. No. 6 matchup. Below, we’ll go through the betting analytics, odds, data and trends to find a way to approach wagering this A-10 vs. ACC matchup in the South Region.

VCU vs. UNC Game Information

Date: Thursday, Mar. 19, 2026
Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
Network: TNT
Region: South
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Venue: Bon Secours Wellness Arena

VCU vs. UNC Betting Resources

VCU vs. UNC Betting Odds

VCU vs. UNC Betting Data

VCU Rams

Region Odds:
Sweet 16 Odds:
Elite Eight Odds:
Final Four Odds:
National Title Odds:

Seed: No. 11
Record: 27-7
Conference: A-10
PS/G: 81.6
PA/G: 71.5
ORtg: 117.6
DRtg: 103.1

UNC Tar Heels

Region Odds:
Sweet 16 Odds:
Elite Eight Odds:
Final Four Odds:
National Title Odds:

Seed: No. 6
Record: 24-8
Conference: ACC
PS/G: 79.8
PA/G: 71.3
ORtg: 116
DRtg: 103.7

VCU vs. UNC Key Players

VCU Rams

Terrence Hill (SO) – 14.4 ppg
Lazar Djokovic (JR) – 13.5 ppg; 5.4 rpg

UNC Tar Heels

Henri Veesaar (SR) – 16.7 ppg; 8.7 rpg
Seth Trimble (SR) – 14 ppg

VCU vs. UNC Betting Analysis

This is a difficult game to pick from a betting perspective, but let’s start with what we know. We know UNC is currently on a 3-0 ATS run and poses an impressive 19-13 ATS mark on the season. However, many UNC spread covers came from home with the Tar Hells posting a 12-6 ATS mark at home this season. VCU has also covered the spread in six of nine games overall, which would be a good look based on our score projection but the +2.5-points isn’t sizeble enough to back.

Let’s move markets, with the VCU Rams going Under in five straight games. UNC has also gone Under the total in five of seven games. The Under seems to have some traction behind it, while UNC has also gone Under 150 total points in seven straight non-conference games.

VCU vs. UNC Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Our score projection comes out to 153, and of course the point total line in 152.5. With all the trends suggesting an Under, this is worrisome. The score projection also supports VCU to cover +2.5-points but we want a larger safety net if backing a No. 11 seed in the First Round (not to mention UNC’s current 3-0 ATS run). We’ll go to the team total and side with VCU going Over the given 74 points, as the score projection indicates.

Not only that, but VCU has hit 77 team points or more in 10 straight non-conference games when playing at night.

Score Prediction: VCU 77, UNC 76
Best Bet: VCU O74 (-110)

Photo Credit: AP/Ben McKeown

Thom Cunningham

Thom Cunningham is the Lineups.com News Editor and has been involved with sports media for almost two decades at Spectrum, VegasInsider.com, Oddschecker, VSiN and much more as a content producer - focused on the betting and gaming space over the last decade tracking insights, data analytics and covering various markets from the NFL to the Oscars.