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Don't look now, but another tantalizing college basketball showdown is sure to feed your sporting appetite on this Wednesday as the Pittsburgh Panthers tip-off with the NC State Wolfpack. Without further ado, it is time to check out our college basketball odds series where our Pitt-NC State prediction and pick will be made.
Thus far, the Pitt Panthers find themselves in the middle of the pack of the conference record-wise as they happen to have a 5-6 record in ACC play. Clearly, the clock is ticking for the Panthers to change the tide of their season, and it will start with a pivotal road contest against NC State.
For the time being, NC State is actually in a fairly good position and are in fourth place within the conference. At 15-7 overall, the Wolfpack still have work to do to receive an automatic invitation to the Big Dance. Luckily, at least NC State has gone 11-2 on their home floor which will serve as a hefty advantage right off the bat.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Pitt-NC State Odds
Pitt: +3.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +134
NC State: -3.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -162
Over: 142.5 (-115)
Under: 142.5 (-105)
How to Watch Pitt vs. NC State
Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT
TV: ESPNU
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
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Why Pitt Will Cover The Spread/Win
First things first, it is hard to deny that the Panthers can make it rain from anywhere on the floor. In fact, Pitt is absolutely automatic specifically from three-point range. Each and every season, there are plenty of dangerous squads from beyond the arc and it's no question that Pitt meets that criteria this year. Believe it or not, but Pitt jacks up the 32nd most three-point attempts in the country and also boasts at least three names that shoot at least 35% from deep. Oftentimes, the name of the game at the college level is from the perimeter, and if the Panthers can get into their usual rhythm from the opening tip, then they'll be in fairly good shape.
Of course, it wouldn't hurt if Pitt flexed their rebounding prowess at the disposal of beating up NC State down low. On paper, the Panthers rank 81st in offensive rebounding, but their true success comes on the defensive glass where they are the 18th-best team in that statistic. With NC State's best rebounders coming off the bench, this could be an area where Pitt can exploit. Indeed, Pitt's overall length and full-blown effort on the boards could prove to be an ultimate X-Factor for these Panthers.
Why NC State Will Cover The Spread/Win
To make a long story short, NC State's offense has been far from the team's strong suit. At first glance, the Wolfpack do themselves no favors by shooting extremely poorly, but it does help they rarely turn the ball over. In fact, NC State's best ability may be spreading the basketball with the utmost efficiency on offense without making many mistakes.
Despite the Wolfpack's struggles to put up points on the scoreboard, one name that could be vital in NC State's chances to cover is DJ Horne. A transfer from Arizona State, the senior guard is more than capable in knocking down some shots from three-point land. Up to this point, Horne is shooting 42% from beyond the arc.
If shots are indeed not falling, then the Wolfpack will need to make it a priority to get to the free-throw line. Certainly, NC State's 73% free-throw percentage isn't gaudy by any means, but they did happen to connect on 21-27 attempts from the charity stripe in the win over Georgia Tech. At the end of the day, getting the big bodies of Pitt in foul trouble and making a living at the free-throw line may turn out to be a one-way ticket to covering the spread at home.
Final Pitt-NC State Prediction & Pick
A rough and hostile road environment will not be a welcomed sight for the Pitt Panthers, but they do happen to be the better team in this matchup. Whether it remains to be seen if Pitt can put this ACC clash in the win column, they'll at the very least keep it close as underdogs.
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Final Pitt-NC State Prediction & Pick: Pitt +3.5 (-115)
