NC State vs Marquette Lines: Wolfpack Reach Sweet 16
Marquette Solid Favorites in Friday Matchup
NC State (24-14) squares off with Marquette (27-9) in a Sweet 16 matchup on Friday. Few people thought NC State would be playing anywhere in the postseason, let along advance to the Sweet 16. The Wolfpack finished the regular season with a 17-14 record before winning the ACC Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament.
NC State is the lowest remaining team in KenPom’s NCAA men’s basketball ratings. The Golden Eagles had a battle with Colorado last game, but were able to pull out the win. The NC State vs Marquette lines see the Golden Eagles favored by 6.5 points, and the total on the game is 150.5.
NC State Wolfpack vs Marquette Golden Eagles 
Day/Time:
Location:American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Streaming: CBS
NC State Wolfpack Peak at the Perfect Time
It’s become a bit of a cliche regarding teams peaking at the right time, but there’s no denying that’s the case for NC State. Since the end of the regular season, the Wolfpack are 7-0 and 5-2 against the spread. NC State is 5-0 straight-up and against the spread as an underdog.
The Wolfpack failed to cover the number in the two games they were favored in. NC State is coming off a tough overtime win against Oakland, winning 79-73 after closing as 6.5-point favorites. The Wolfpack are 18-19-1 against the spread this season and 22-14-2 in totals.
NC State isn’t a great shooting team, but it takes care of the basketball. The Wolfpack are ranked No. 10 in turnover percent in the nation. NC State is slightly better than average from the field, but that’s about it. The team can make free throws pretty well, shooting 73.6% for the season.
Turnovers will be key against Marquette, as the Golden Eagles are one of the best teams in the country at forcing turnovers.
NC State is a good but not great defensive team. The Wolfpack don’t really have any big defensive strengths, although there aren’t any glaring weaknesses. NC State will have to defend the 3-pointer against the Golden Eagles and continue to play well.
Golden Eagles Flying Under Radar
Despite being a No. 2 seed, Marquette is slightly overlooked. Kentucky was a popular choice in the March Madness bracket predictions, but the Golden Eagles are still alive. Marquette is 21-15 against the spread on the season and 15-21 in totals. The Golden Eagles have to focus on the game at hand and not worry about Houston or Duke on Sunday.
Marquette can shoot the ball, although it doesn’t get many offensive rebounds or trips to the foul line. The Golden Eagles don’t make a whole lot of turnovers and are No. 15 in effective field goal percentage. Marquette does shoot 2-pointers a little better than 3-pointers, but is solid in both.
The Golden Eagles like to get out and run, which helps with the 2-point field goal percentage.
Marquette’s defense is solid. The team’s primary weakness on defense is allowing too many offensive rebounds. That’s not ideal, but it’s not something the Golden Eagles are hurt by too much. The team is No. 20 in the country at forcing turnovers and will need to come up with a few in this one.
What to Expect
NC State plays a little bit faster than an average team, taking 17 seconds per possession. The Golden Eagles hold the ball for an average of 15.3 seconds per possession, so Marquette will look to run. The Wolfpack shouldn’t play into Marquette’s hands, but won’t be entirely out of place.
The Golden Eagles may attempt a few more 3-pointers than typical since the Wolfpack are better defending the inside. NC State could also look to the outside a bit more than normal, although Marquette is fairly comparable defending either.
Who to Bet On?
The NC State vs Marquette lines seem slightly high on the side. The Wolfpack are getting the job done, and people love to see a lower seed do well in the tournament. It’s hard to argue with the point spread, however, as the Golden Eagles are the better team.
NC State vs Marquette lines could be a shade low on the total. Marquette’s pace should ensure a fair number of field goal attempts and the Wolfpack aren’t a deliberate, half-court team. NC State has played a number of teams who like to push the ball, so will have seen similar offenses as the Golden Eagles.
The March Madness scores show Marquette scoring more than 80 points in each of the first two tournament games.
The best value play in this one is probably NC State +6.5. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Wolfpack ultimately crash and burn, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see another solid effort from NC State. The Wolfpack have confidence and are doing all the right things at the moment. Take the Wolfpack +6.5 in this one.
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