Marquette vs. NC State: Predictions, picks, odds for Friday's March Madness game
What's sweeter than the Sweet 16?
The March Madness action carries on when the No. 2 Marquette Golden Eagles take on the No. 11 North Carolina State Wolfpack to open Friday action.
Shaka Smart returns to the Sweet 16 for the first time since taking VCU to the Final Four in 2011. The Golden Eagles beat No. 15 Western Kentucky 87-69 and No. 10 Colorado 81-77 so far in the tournament. They have four players who average double digits scoring. Against Western Kentucky, Kam Jones had 28 points, Tyler Kolek added 18 points and 11 assists and David Joplin contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds. Kolek, who has returned from an oblique injury, led the team with 21 points and 11 assists in their second-round game.
It's North Carolina State's turn to be Cinderella. They surprised everyone by winning the ACC tournament and then started the Big Dance by upsetting No. 6 Texas Tech 80-67. Junior forward Ben Middlebrooks stepped up and had a career-high 21 points off the bench. The Wolfpack had eight steals and held the Red Raiders to a 38.7 field goal percentage. Senior forward DJ Burns Jr. was the star of the second-round matchup with 24 points and 11 rebounds when they beat the No. 14 Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The Wolfpack are the lowest seed left.
Here's what to know about Friday's Sweet 16 matchup:
March Madness takeaways: Upsets, Sweet 16 chalk and the ACC lead from men's NCAA Tournament
Marquette vs. NC State predictions
Fayetteville Observer: NC State 76, Marquette 72
College sports beat reporter Rodd Baxley writes: "The Golden Eagles are the favorites and have (Tyler) Kolek back in the mix, but this is March. (Head coach) Kevin Keatts has NC State rolling at the right time, so why not the Wolfpack?"
PicksWise: Marquette to win and cover spread
Matt Marquart writes: "Through the first half of Marquette’s opening-round game against Western Kentucky, it looked like the Golden Eagles might have a short stay in the NCAA Tournament. They trailed by 10 points late in the first half but then scored 51 points in the second half and ultimately won the game by 20. ... Per Hoop-Math, NC State ranks just 225th in field-goal percentage defense at the rim. NC State is also very poor in pick-and-roll defense, so it is very likely Marquette has its third straight strong offensive game."
ESPN: Marquette hold significant edge in model
ESPN Analytics give Marquette a 77.1% chance to advance to the Elite Eight. The same model gives North Carolina State a 22.9% chance to pull off the upset.
Reseeding the Sweet 16: March Madness power rankings of the teams left in NCAA Tournament
Marquette vs. NC State: Odds, spread and lines for March Madness
Marquette is favorited to defeat NC State in Friday's March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.
Odds as of Thursday.
Spread: Marquette (-6.5)
Moneyline: Marquette (-300); NC State (+230)
Over/under: 150.5
How to watch Marquette vs. NC State: TV, streaming and schedule
When: Friday, March 29
Time: 7:09 p.m. ET
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Cable TV: CBS
Streaming: Paramount+
How to watch NCAA men's basketball March Madness 2024
All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.
Stream through Paramount+
Stream through HULU with Live TV
Stream through DirecTV Stream
How to watch March Madness: Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marquette vs. NC State: Predictions, picks, odds
