The 16^th-seed Wagner Seahawks (26-9) will face the one-seed North Carolina Tar Heels (21-11) in the inaugural round of the Men's Basketball Championship West Region on Thursday, March 21^st, at 2:45 PM ET in the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Tar Heels are widely anticipated to dominate, with a point spread of -23.5 (-110).

The Seahawks found success in the First Four matchups when they defeated the Howard Bison 71-68. Melvin Council Jr. led with 21 points, and the team shot 47.1 percent from the field. They are currently riding a four-game win streak and aim to make history in attempts to knock out a one-seed.

Council Jr. (14.6 PPG, 5.7 REB) needs help getting this done. His performance might have been good in their recent matchup, but he will need help from other members to produce more than 10 points each.

The Seahawks made it into the tournament with a little bit of luck. They finished 7-9 in the NEC and ranked sixth overall in that group. Their offense is one of the less appealing in the nation, as they average 63.5 points and rank 355^th (out of 362). Their efficiency on this end ranks 310^th with a rating of 99.8.

On the defensive end, they hold teams to 62.1 points per game due to their slower pace of play, which ranks sixth. In addition, their efficiency on this end ranks 36^th with a rating of 97.5.

The Tar Heels had snapped their eight-game win streak to close out the season when they came up short 84-76 against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the ACC Final. RJ Davis dropped 30 points despite being unable to push them to victory.

They finished 17-3 in conference play, ranking first overall and seventh in the national rankings to end the regular season. Davis has averaged 21.4 points per game, shooting 43.1 percent from the field. Bettors should also check out senior Armando Bacot, who averages 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per matchup.

Their team averages 81.5 points per game, placing them 23^rd in scoring. They maintain an efficiency rating of 113.6, slightly more enticing than their next rival.

On the defensive side, the Tar Heels concede an average of 70.2 points per game, positioning them 123^rd nationally. Despite this, their defensive foundation remains solid, boasting an efficiency rating of 97.9 and ranking 40^th.

MyBookie offers the betting odds for this college basketball battle, which reveals the North Carolina Tar Heels as 23.5-point favorites. Look for them to win and cover the spread.