NC State Wolfpack vs. Creighton Bluejays odds predictions pick betting line spread

March Madness: NC State vs. Creighton odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Friday’s NC State vs. Creighton odds and lines, with college basketball expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The 11th-seeded NC State Wolfpack (23-10) and No. 6 Creighton Bluejays (21-12) battle in an NCAA Tournament South Region first-round game Friday in Denver. The contest at Ball Arena will tip off at 4 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the NC State vs. Creighton odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.

NC State is in the Big Dance for the 1st time since 2018. Its overall record is buoyed by an 11-2 stretch from Dec. 13-Feb. 4. The Wolfpack defense has struggled over recent games. The team is 1-3 and allowing a 50% mark from the floor since Feb. 25.

Creighton’s story is similar. After some early-season struggles, the Bluejays went 11-2 from Dec. 22-Feb. 11. They lost 3 of 4 after that, but they’re 3-1 this month and ranked No. 22.

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NC State vs. Creighton odds

Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:32 a.m. ET.

Moneyline: NC State +175 (bet $100 to win $175) | Creighton -230 (bet $230 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): NC State +5.5 (-118) | Creighton -5.5 (-102)
Over/Under (O/U): 147.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

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NC State vs. Creighton picks and predictions

Prediction

Creighton 71, NC State 66

Moneyline

NC State defends well along the perimeter, and that is a big key against this 3-firing Bluejays bunch. Creighton has averaged 27.1 treys per game over its last 7 games.

Creighton winning this one 70% of the time and by about 2 possessions put these underdog prices out of value’s reach. PASS.

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Against the spread

The Bluejays are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games against teams playing .600 ball. A +6 or +6.5 would make this a more difficult call, but as is, this one is in the bookmaker’s pocket. PASS.

Over/Under

Both sides do well to take care of the basketball, and neither gets to the line much with it. There will be quite a few 3-balls. But both teams have played schedules tilting toward better offensive talent. Look for them to shine on the defensive end in this neutral barn.

BACK THE UNDER 147.5 (-105).

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March Madness: Friday’s best NCAA Tournament first-round upset picks and predictions

Analyzing NCAA Tournament betting odds for Friday’s first round, with predictions and picks for the 4 best underdog bets.

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Day 2 of the NCAA Tournament brings 16 more betting opportunities and an upset or two is likely. Below, we break down Tipico Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament odds and lines and list Friday’s best first-round upset bets to cash in on among SportbookWire’s expert college basketball picks and predictions.

Cashing in on those opportunities requires a little bit of in-game luck — a turnover here, a 4th foul there, a momentum-swinging 3-pointer made, or a key free throw on the front end of a 1-and-1. However, we can also do our best to make wise assessments when seeking out these upset possibilities. We’re looking for leverage with value plays where the win is more probable than what the public is seeing.

Below are the 4 best bets for Friday upsets.

See Top 25: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

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Friday’s NCAA Tournament upset picks

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:25 p.m. ET. All game times ET; ML = moneyline.

NC STATE +5.5 (-112) vs. Creighton – 4 p.m.

NC State is likely due some positive regression in its defensive numbers. The Wolfpack went on an 11-2 from Dec. 13-Feb. 4, and the Bluejays had a stretch that saw them go 8-0 from Jan. 14-Feb. 11. However, recent skill indicators point to NC State being closer to getting back to that level than Creighton is.

The Bluejays are 0-4 against the spread in their last 4 games against teams playing .600 or better basketball. Both teams have played schedules tilting toward better offensive talent, and the Under is a likable play, so look for the Wolfpack to leverage that kind of game into something quite close down the stretch.

UC SANTA BARBARA +11.5 (-105) vs. Baylor – 1:30 p.m.

UC Santa Barbara swept the regular-season and tournament titles in this season’s Big West Conference play. UCSB sported that conference’s most efficient offense, shooting 49.34% from the field (7th nationally). The Gauchos take care of the ball and frequently get to the free-throw line — and they enter this battle on a 7-game win streak.

Baylor lost its regular-season finale and Big 12 tourney opener — both to Iowa State — and is just 2-4 across its last 6 games.

UCSB was a profitable 20-10-1 ATS this season, and while an outright win is unlikely, this double-digit point spread makes the Gauchos a solid underdog play.

DRAKE (+110 ML) vs. Miami – 7:25 p.m.

This contest is a 12-5 (DU-UM) Midwest Region battle in Albany. A 12-seed has won 53 first-round games since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Miami may be getting a little too much credit coming out of a weaker-than-usual ACC. The Hurricanes are 2-5 ATS under coach Jim Larrañaga in their last 7 NCAA tourney games.

Drake is 13-1 over their last 14 games and has outscored foes by an average of 14.7 points while shooting 40.9% from distance over that stretch. DU is an experienced bunch and one that plays responsible ball at both ends of the floor. Miami can sometimes struggle against teams that defend the perimeter well, and that’s a Drake strength (30.6% 3-point defense, 28th).

MONTANA STATE +8.5 (-110) vs. Kansas State – 9:40 p.m.

Peg this game as more of a “wild opportunity for a bracket run” than just a 1-time upset. There are some weak spots in the potential 2nd and 3rd games should Montana State advance here.

Kansas State has logged back-to-back flat performances, and the Wildcats are just a few weeks removed from a similar stretch in February. Montana State gets to the line a ton (23.4 free throws per game, 9th), and the Bobcats enter the East Region brackets having won 8 consecutive games.