UNC Asheville vs. Charleston Southern prediction, odds: 2023 Big South Tournament picks, bets from top model

The 2023 Big South Conference Tournament continues on Friday with a quadruple header of quarterfinal action. Bojangles Coliseum hosts the action in Charlotte, with the opener of the day pitting the UNC Asheville Bulldogs against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. UNC-Asheville is the No. 1 seed, posting a 16-2 record in conference play and a 24-7 overall mark. Charleston Southern is 10-20 overall and 5-13 in Big South play, entering the tournament as the No. 8 seed.

Tip-off is at 12 p.m. ET in Charlotte. Caesars Sportsbook lists UNC Asheville as an 8-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 144.5 in the latest Charleston Southern vs. UNC Asheville odds. Before you make any Charleston Southern vs. UNC Asheville picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 17 of the season 76-46 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,600 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville:

• Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville spread: UNCA -8 
• Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville over/under: 144.5 points 
• Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville money line: UNCA -360, CSO +280 
• CS: The Buccaneers are 8-11 against the spread in Big South games 
• UNCA: The Bulldogs are 12-6 against the spread in Big South games 
• Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville picks: See picks here

Why Charleston Southern can cover

Charleston Southern is led by sophomore guard Claudell Harris Jr., who scored 20 points in the first round win over High Point. He is averaging 17.6 points per game, No. 2 in the Big South, and brings upside for the Buccaneers. With Harris Jr. at the forefront, Charleston Southern is No. 2 in the conference in offensive efficiency, and the Buccaneers have the conference’s best turnover rate (17.6%) this season. 

Charleston Southern is also in the top three of the Big South in 3-point accuracy (35.2%) and free throw accuracy (74.4%). In addition, the Buccaneers could have the edge in generating second-chance points, as they rank in the top three of the Big South with a 31.7% offensive rebound rate. UNC-Asheville is dead-last in the conference in grabbing only 24.2% of available offensive rebounds.

Why UNC-Asheville can cover

UNC-Asheville has been the dominant force in the Big South this season, winning 15 of the last 16 games and defeating Charleston Southern twice by double-figures during the regular season. On offense, UNC Asheville is led by Drew Pember, who leads the conference in scoring (20.4 points per game), rebounding (9.2 per game), and blocked shots (2.3 per game) this season. The Bulldogs are also fantastic from the perimeter, shooting 39.5% from 3-point range to rank in the top five of the nation. UNC-Asheville has conference-leading marks in free throw creation rate and assist rate on offense.

The Bulldogs also lead the way in defensive aptitude among Big South clubs. UNC Asheville is No. 1 in the conference in defensive efficiency, opponent shooting, and assist rate allowed this season, with the No. 2 mark in free throw prevention. Charleston Southern has the Big South’s worst free throw rate in conference play to go along with the second-worst assist rate.

How to make Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, with seven players projected to score at least eight points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine. 

So who wins Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Charleston Southern vs. UNC-Asheville spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.