NC State (11) vs. Duke (4) Elite Eight Prediction: March Madness Odds
The Blue Devils are 7-point favourites on the college basketball odds.
NC State vs. Duke NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The winner of the South Region faces the Midwest winner, either No. 1 seed Purdue or No. 2 Tennessee, in next Saturday’s Final Four from outside Phoenix.
It’s somewhat rare for two teams to face one another three times in a college basketball season, but that’s the case between ACC and Tobacco Road rivals in South No. 11 seed NC State and No. 4 Duke (campuses are only about 25 miles apart). The Blue Devils won the first matchup by 15 at NC State on March 4 and then it appeared the Wolfpack had almost not shot of reaching the NCAA Tournament barring winning the ACC Tournament. Which it did in a shocking upset, including upsetting Duke by five in the quarterfinals. NC State is not Dancing without winning that event. The lowest seed ever to reach a Final Four is a No. 11.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer said that NC State is better defensively and a rebounding-wise than it was earlier in the season. He said the biggest change in the Wolfpack is that it is now a confident group that expects to win every game. NC State hasn’t been to the Elite Eight since 1986. Duke was there two years ago.
NC State Wolfpack
NC State advanced with a 67-58 upset of No. 2 seed Marquette on Friday, the team’s eighth straight win. The Wolfpack did so despite an off game from one of the most unique guys in college basketball, 6-foot-9, 275-pound DJ Burns, who is somewhat like a left-handed Nikola Jokic. He had only four points against the Golden Eagles but added seven assists and four rebounds. The Wolfpack aren’t beating Duke if he only scores four again. DJ Horne led the Pack with 19 points vs. Marquette. The Wolfpack held the Golden Eagles to 4-of-31 shooting from three-point range and outrebounded them 42-35. None of this year’s NC State players were born in 1983 when the Wolfpack won their last national title. That just makes me feel old.
Duke Blue Devils
Duke advanced with a 54-51 upset of top-seeded Houston on Friday, basically beating the Cougars at their own game: Defensively. It certainly helped that UH star, Big 12 Player of the Year and first-team All-American Jamal Shead who missed the final 26 game minutes with a sprained ankle. Not sure Duke wins otherwise. The 51 points scored by Houston was its second-lowest scoring output of the season. Duke is allowing exactly 51 points per game in this tournament. It was Duke’s first win over a Top 5 AP-ranked team since November 2021. The Blue Devils are now 25-1 this season when leading at halftime. They are among the nation’s leaders in scoring margin (+13.0/11th), field goal per centage (.480/24th), three-point field goal per centage (.380/13th) and assist/turnover ratio (1.59/17th). Better beat Duke this year because it probably will be preseason No. 1 next season with an absolutely absurd recruiting class on the way.
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