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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with an NC State California prediction and pick. Find out how to watch NC State California.
It is rare that in our ClutchPoints college basketball betting previews, we wind up writing about the same matchup twice in a season. Yet, this is one of those times. We wrote about California's road trip to Raleigh to face North Carolina State on Saturday, January 18.
In that article two and a half weeks ago, we noted that NC State “just blew a double-digit lead to a not-very-good Virginia Tech team. That's part of the problem with NC State. The Wolfpack haven't even played the best of the best in the ACC. Things are likely to get worse, not better.”
Though we wound up not recommending any betting play on that game, our ultimate lean was toward Cal as a 4.5-point road underdog in a game which had an over-under of 144.5. When making the case that Cal was the better point-spread play, we said “NC State shouldn't be favored by 4.5 points over any team right now, given the way the Wolfpack is playing. NC State has shown no lead is safe and no point spread feels secure. Cal is not a great team, but NC State simply doesn't merit any trust.”
Final score: Cal 65, NC State 62. We weren't confident enough to trust Cal with our money, but our instincts on the game proved to be entirely accurate.
Here are the NC State-California College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: NC State-California Odds
NC State: +1.5 (-108)
Moneyline: +105
California: -1.5 (-112)
Moneyline: -126
Over: 138.5 (-108)
Under: 138.5 (-112)
How to Watch NC State vs California
Time: 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT
TV: ACC Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why NC State Will Cover The Spread/Win
NC State is bound to play a good game at some point. It's true that it's hard to trust a team which has lost six games in a row, but NC State is playing hard. It just hasn't made enough shots. At some point, those shots are going to fall. Also keep in mind here that Cal nearly lost at home to Miami, one of the worst teams in college basketball. If Cal can struggle with Miami at home, it can definitely lose at home to NC State, a team which is not nearly as bad as Miami.
Why California Will Cover The Spread/Win
If you read the Cal-NC State betting preview from mid-January (linked to above), you will see that our instincts on NC State — and how the road would get tougher, not easier, for the Wolfpack in the ACC based on their performance — proved to be accurate.
Since the Cal loss, NC State has continued to scuffle. The Wolfpack lost at home to SMU, scoring fewer than 60 points. State has also lost to Duke and Clemson. The Wolfpack have scored 64 points or fewer in their last four games. They have lost six in a row overall. This is a team which can't score, can't shoot, and can't find players who can really move the needle on offense. Unless or until we see sustained and consistent quality offense from NC State, this team does not deserve to be trusted. Now add the point that State is making the very long cross-country trip to the San Francisco Bay Area in February. This team could be fatigued mentally and physically. It doesn't add up for NC State right now.
Final NC State-California Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Cal, but after not recommending you take the Bears in mid-January on the road in Raleigh, we're going to trust California here at home in Berkeley. Go ahead and take Cal. NC State simply offers no reason to think the Pack are going to break their six-game losing skid. Cal is better and at home. That's good enough for us.
Final NC State-California Prediction & Pick: California -1.5
