Thursday night’s late matchups wrapping up the first full day of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament include a battle between 6-seed Texas Tech and 11-seed NC State in Pittsburgh at 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS. Oddsmakers expect Texas Tech to advance in a close game between two teams with similar overall records despite taking very different paths to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Here, we will break down the Texas Tech vs NC State odds and predictions.
The Red Raiders (23-10, 11-7 Big 12) have been solid all season, with an 11-2 record in nonconference play followed by a third-place finish in the Big 12, which sent eight teams to this year’s NCAA Tournament.
The Wolfpack (22-14, 9-11 ACC), on the other hand, has been as up-and-down as anyone in the country. Just a week ago, NC State coach Kevin Keatts was reportedly at risk of being fired, but his team responded by winning five ACC Tournament games in five days to take home the conference tournament title and clinch a spot in March Madness.
Let’s get into the matchup and give our best Texas Tech vs NC State betting pick.
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Texas Tech Red Raiders Betting Preview
No. 22 Texas Tech enjoyed a strong regular season under first-year coach Grant McCasland. The Red Raiders played one of the toughest schedules in the nation thanks to the depth of the Big 12, and this team’s wins over the likes of Baylor, BYU (twice), Kansas, and Texas make it a deserving 6-seed in the Big Dance.
Texas Tech has an interesting draw, as NC State is as hot as anyone after its improbable ACC Tournament run. But we’re also talking about a team that went just 9-11 in an ACC conference that’s in a down year.
Two of the biggest questions for Texas Tech in this game have to do with its top frontcourt players, forward Darrion Williams and 7-footer Warren Washington. As of Wednesday afternoon, both players’ status for Thursday night is uncertain.
State has a big, talented post scorer in DJ Burns and an active 6-foot-10 forward, Mohamed Diarra. The latter grabbed a conference tournament-record total of 60 rebounds during his team’s run to the ACC championship. Those two could pose problems for Texas Tech if either Williams or Washington cannot play.
NC State Wolfpack Betting Preview
No team in the country had more work to do entering its conference tournament to earn a spot in the Big Dance than the Wolfpack. Still, Keatts’ team did exactly that, beating Louisville, Syracuse, Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina in five days for NCSU’s first men’s ACC basketball title since 1987. Now, the question is whether this run can continue.
In Burns and senior guard DJ Horne, State has two dangerous scorers that give this team a chance to pull a few more upsets. What makes the Pack so dangerous right now, though, is how well Diarra and its other role players played throughout the ACC tourney in Washington, DC.
Whether NC State can stay hot in Pittsburgh against Texas Tech is one of the most intriguing questions in the South region. Few teams in the region, if not the entire tournament, are more boom-or-bust than this one, making the Texas Tech-NC State matchup a must-see.
Texas Tech vs NC State Betting Trends
Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Texas Tech is 5-5 ATS in its last 10 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas Tech’s last 10 games.
NC State Wolfpack
- NC State is 6-4 ATS in its last 10 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of NC State’s last 10 games.
Additional ATS notes on NCSU:
- NCSU is 4-0 ATS in its last four, beating the spread by at least 10 in all four of those games.
- NCSU has beaten the spread by at least 15 in three of its last four.
Texas Tech vs NC State Predictions & Betting Pick
The possibility of a total letdown/hangover following what NC State accomplished last week is a real one. Even most Wolfpack fans would likely admit as much. In that case, Texas Tech laying the points is your move.
But if you expect at least a solid showing from State, the smart play is to take the Pack to cover as the underdog against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have beaten some elite teams this season, but it’s hard to imagine both Williams and Washington being 100% themselves on Thursday given their uncertainty as of Wednesday, which is all the more reason to invest in the underdog in this matchup.
Texas Tech vs NC State Betting Picks: NC State (+5 at time of publishing)
Texas Tech vs NC State Injury Report
How to Watch Texas Tech vs NC State
- Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024
- Tip-Off: 9:40 p.m. ET
- Location: PPG Paints Arena — Pittsburgh
- Where to Watch: CBS
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