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The No. 6 seed Creighton Bluejays (21-12) and the No. 11 seed NC State Wolfpack (23-10) meet on Friday at 4:00 PM in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The matchup airs on TNT.
The Bluejays match up against the Wolfpack in a game that Creighton is currently a favorite by 5 points. The over/under is 148.5 points for the game.
Creighton vs. NC State Odds
Point Spread for Creighton vs. NC State
The spread for this matchup is set at 5 points, with bookmakers listing Creighton as the favorite.
Creighton vs. NC State Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Creighton has -230 odds to pick up the win, while NC State is listed at +188 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 148.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Friday, March 17, 2023
- Game Time: 4:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: TNT
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Arena: Ball Arena
Creighton vs. NC State Betting Trends
Creighton has played 33 games, with 16 wins against the spread. The Bluejays have been chosen as favorites in 26 games this year and have walked away with the win 20 times (76.9%) in those games. Creighton’s games this year have gone over the point total 45.5% of the time (15 out of 33 games with a set point total).
In NC State’s 33 games this season, it has 16 wins against the spread. The Wolfpack have won 33.3% of the games this season they were the underdog on the moneyline (4-8). NC State’s games this season have gone over the point total 51.5% of the time (17 out of 33 games with a set point total).
Creighton vs. NC State Key Players to Watch
Creighton
Baylor Scheierman averages a team-leading 8.4 rebounds per game. He is also posting 12.8 points and 3.2 assists, shooting 42.5% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc with 2.3 made 3-pointers per contest. Ryan Kalkbrenner averages 15.4 points and 1.2 assists per game — both team highs. He is also averaging 6.1 rebounds, shooting 71.4% from the floor (second in the nation). Trey Alexander posts 13.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest. Defensively, he averages 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocked shots.
Ryan Nembhard paces his squad in assists per game (4.9), and also averages 11.9 points and 4.1 rebounds. At the other end, he posts 0.7 steals and 0.1 blocked shots.
NC State
Jarkel Joiner gives the Wolfpack 17.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. He also averages 1.4 steals and 0.1 blocked shots. D.J. Burns is No. 1 on the Wolfpack in rebounding (4.8 per game), and produces 12.8 points and 1.6 assists. He also posts 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocked shots. The Wolfpack get 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game from Casey Morsell.
What you need to know about the Creighton Bluejays
With 76.6 points per game on offense, the Bluejays are 59th in college basketball. On defense, they allow 68.5 points per contest, which ranks 128th in college basketball. With 34.8 boards per game, Creighton is 35th in the country. It cedes 30.9 rebounds per contest, which ranks 166th in college basketball.
So far this season, Creighton is sinking 8.9 threes per game (40th-ranked in college basketball) and is shooting 36% (82nd-ranked) from downtown. With 6.4 three-pointers conceded per game, the Bluejays are 71st in the nation. They are giving up a 34.1% shooting percentage from downtown, which ranks 200th in college basketball.
The Bluejays have a 5-5 record against the spread while going 6-4 overall in their past 10 games. Creighton has hit the over in six of its past 10 contests. On offense, Creighton has had a tough time putting the ball in the basket over its last 10 games, scoring 76.2 points per contest over that stretch as opposed to the 76.6 it has put up over the course of this year. The past 10 games have seen Creighton concede 2.8 more points per game (71.3) than its season-long average (68.5).
What you need to know about the NC State Wolfpack
In 2022-23, the Wolfpack are 33rd in college basketball on offense (78.2 points scored per game) and 201st defensively (70.8 points conceded). On the glass, NC State is 53rd in college basketball in rebounds (34 per game). It is 208th in rebounds conceded (31.6 per game).
In 2022-23, NC State is 65th in college basketball in 3-point makes (8.4 per game) and 135th in 3-point percentage (35%). Defensively, the Wolfpack are 46th in the country in 3-pointers conceded per game at 6.1. They are 89th in 3-point percentage allowed at 32.3%.
The Wolfpack are 5-5 against the spread and 5-5 overall in their last 10 games. Four of NC State’s last 10 games have gone over the total. In its past 10 games, NC State is averaging 74.2 points per game, compared to its season average of 78.2. The Wolfpack are giving up 73.1 points per contest in their previous 10 games, which is 2.3 more points than they are allowing for the season (70.8).
Creighton vs. NC State Prediction & Pick
Our prediction to win this contest is Creighton, and we project that NC State will cover the spread (Creighton -5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going under the posted total of 148.5 points.
How to bet Creighton vs. NC State
You can bet on Creighton vs. NC State at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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