Appalachian St. vs. Norfolk State: First Four Odds, March Madness Prediction
For the first time in their schools histories, the Norfolk State Spartans and the Appalachian State Mountaineers are set to face each other. It’s been almost a decade since the Spartans last made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament and it’s been twice as long for the Mountaineers.
Appalachian State is a 3-point favourite to win on the college basketball odds with a total of 134.5.
Appalachian St. Mountaineers vs. Norfolk State Spartans NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The Mountaineers were 14-9-1 against the spread this season, covering in five of their last six games. This is a team that likes to throw the 3-ball, but doesn’t necessarily hit a high percentage of their shots. They’ve been an Under team in 13 of their 28 games.
Norfolk State is 12-9 ATS and they’ve covered in five straight games. The Spartans haven’t fared well against Sun Belt teams however, losing their last seven games against Sun Belt opponents. Their high tempo offence helped them hit the Over 12 times this year, although they’ve actually been an Under team in five of their last six games.
(16) Appalachian St. Mountaineers
Appalachian State (17-11) had a brutal second half of the season which ultimately saw them lose six of their last seven games and finish seventh in the Sun Belt. But, the Mountaineers are here for a reason. They rattled off four straight W’s to win the Sun Belt Tournament and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in school history and first time since 2000. Adrian Delph is the leading scorer, averaging 13.2 points per game and 4.5 rebounds.
Defence is the key for this team. Offensively, they ranked in the bottom half of the Sun Belt in field goal and 3-point shooting percentage, but they were able to offset that by allowing the second fewest points per game (64.1) in the conference. They have four guards averaging double-digit points and this team likes to throw up as many shots from beyond the arc as possible. Their aggressive defence can get steals and could be the difference-maker in this game.
(16) Norfolk State Spartans
The Spartans (16-7) ended the season strong with a six-game winning streak and used their high tempo offence to win the MEAC Tournament. Devante Carter is easily the best player on this team. In his senior season, Carter is leading the team in points per game (15.5), rebounds (5.3), assists (4.0) and minutes (32.8).
Norfolk State plays a much faster tempo than Appalachian. They rank No. 41 in the country in possessions per game and will likely try to push the pace to keep Appalachian’s defence on their toes. The Spartans led the MEAC in 3-point shooting, hitting 36.8 per cent of their shots from beyond the arc and they average 75.2 points per game.
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