NCAAB: #11 NC State vs #6 Texas Tech Odds, and Picks (Mar 21)

• NC State completed an absurd run in the ACC tournament, earning an automatic bid.
• Texas Tech had a very solid season in the brutal Big-12, climbing to 23-10 on the year.
• These two teams last met on December 18, 1954, in a game that NC State won 85-74.

The NCAA Tournament is officially underway! Let’s take a look at this matchup between the NC State Wolfpack and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. NC State has the momentum of winning the ACC championship, but will face the underseeded Gamecocks.

How to Watch

• CBS

Preview

NC State closed out the ACC tournament as conference champions, claiming an unexpected automatic bid in the process. They won five straight games to get here, including stellar victories over Duke and North Carolina. The Wolfpack had gone just 2-7 in the two months leading up to that stretch, proving that any team can get hot at the right time and make the tournament. They’ll aim to keep defying the odds against Texas Tech.

Texas Tech had a successful year in the expanded Big-12, finishing tied for 3rd in the regular season standings. They bowed out in the conference semifinals against Houston, losing by 23 points. The Red Raiders have had some poor offensive performances, but are tough to beat when their shots are falling. Their defense will be solid no matter what, but Texas Tech needs leading scorer Pop Isaacs and company to heat up offensively in this game.

Prediction

This will be an exciting matchup as it features one of the many late bid-stealers in NC State. The Wolfpack are sure to be physically and emotionally drained from the ACC tournament, but also carry a lot of momentum into this game. Ultimately, they’re a bit mismatched against Texas Tech. If they make a lot of contested shots, a win isn’t out of the question, but I’m much more confident taking the Red Raiders here.

NCAAB Picks:

• Texas Tech 74, NC State 67 (TTU -4.5)