- The #14 Oakland Golden Grizzlies stunned the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday night
- Oakland moves onto face the #11 NC State Wolfpack in the second round
- See the opening Oakland vs NC State odds for Saturday’s second-round NCAA Tournament game in Pittsburgh
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history on Thursday night, and they did it in style. A 13.5-point underdog to #3 Kentucky, Oakland led the Wildcats for the vast majority of the game, including the final 15 minutes, en route to a stunning 80-76 upset.
The Grizzlies will now face the #11 NC State Wolfpack in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament and, while they’re underdogs once again, the line isn’t nearly as big as it was against KU.
Oakland vs NC State Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Golden Grizzlies | +6 (-110) | +215 | O 147.5 (-110) |
| NC State Wolfpack | -6 (-110) | -265 | U 147.5 (-110) |
Oakland is a six-point underdog for Saturday night’s game at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, and +215 on the moneyline. The Wolfpack are listed as a -265 favorite in Saturday’s college basketball odds. This will mark the first time in the last five games that NC State has been the betting favorite.
Odds as of March 22. Check out the best March Madness betting apps to wager on the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Golden Gohlke Hits Ten Threes
The biggest factor in the Golden Grizzlies’ upset of Kentucky was sharpshooting Jack Gohlke. The senior JUCO transfer went 10-of-20 from three for a game-high 30 points. Gohlke finished the regular season averaging 3.6 triples per game, which was tied for second-most in Division I.
Oakland leading scorer Tyler Townsend didn’t have a terribly efficient night, scoring 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field and just 4-of-9 from the stripe, but his game-high 12 rebounds helped Oakland finish with an unexpected 40-39 edge on the glass.
This was Oakland’s sixth game against a top-50 team at KenPom, and its first win. The Grizzlies had previously lost to Ohio State (79-73 away), Illinois (64-53 away), Drake (85-77 neutral), Michigan State (79-62 away), and Dayton (91-67 away). They finished first in the Horizon League in the regular season at 15-5 and went onto capture the Horizon Tournament title with an 83-76 win over Milwaukee.
NC State Continues Hot Streak With Win Over Texas Tech
With the possible exception of UConn, there is no hotter team in the nation than NC State. The Wolfpack won five games in five days to claim the ACC Tournament title and book a ticket to the NCAA Tournament that was otherwise out of reach. That win streak included victories over three of the ACC’s top-four seeds: Duke (74-69), Virginia (73-65 OT), and North Carolina (84-76).
NC State turned that into a six-game win streak on Thursday night with an impressive 80-67 win over #6 Texas Tech as 4.5-point underdogs.
Junior forward Ben Middlebrooks, who was averaging just 5.5 PPG heading into the NCAA Tournament, dropped a career-high 21 points off the bench to lead the Wolfpack. NC State held the Red Raiders to just 39% from the field and 23% from three while shooting just over 50% themselves (27-of-53).
NC State was rated just 76th in efficiency at KenPom prior to the start of the ACC Tournament. Six games later, they have risen are knocking on the door of the top 50.
Expected Oakland vs NC State Line Movement
This line is bang-on the KenPom prediction of 76-70, though Haslametrics projects a slightly larger NC State victory. With bettors eager to back the Cinderella, don’t be surprised if the moneyline moves towards the Golden Grizzlies. There is ample precedent for big first-round underdogs maintaining their momentum through to the Sweet 16. Just last season, Princeton went to the Sweet 16 as a #15 seed. The year prior, #15 Saint Peter’s made the Elite Eight.
NC State is writing a terrific narrative as well and, if this game were closer to home, I would expect the spread to move slightly towards the Wolfpack. But at a truly neutral site and with Oakland coming off the most high-profile win of the tournament so far, it’s going to move towards the Grizzlies if it moves at all.
In a highly anticipated matchup between the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and the NC State Wolfpack, oddsmakers have set the opening spread at six points in favor of the Wolfpack. This means that NC State is considered the favorite to win the game by a margin of six points.
The Wolfpack, coming off a strong season last year, are expected to be a tough opponent for the Golden Grizzlies. Led by head coach Kevin Keatts, NC State boasts a talented roster with players like senior guard Devon Daniels and sophomore forward Manny Bates. With their depth and experience, the Wolfpack are poised to make a run in the upcoming season.
On the other hand, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies are looking to make a statement against a higher-ranked opponent. Coached by Greg Kampe, Oakland will rely on their sharpshooting and defensive prowess to compete with NC State. Players like senior guard Rashad Williams and junior forward Daniel Oladapo will be key contributors for the Golden Grizzlies in this matchup.
While NC State is favored in this game, anything can happen in college basketball. Upsets are common, and the Golden Grizzlies will be looking to defy the odds and pull off a win against the Wolfpack. Fans can expect an exciting and competitive game between these two teams.
As the game approaches, bettors will be keeping a close eye on the odds and line movements. Whether you’re rooting for NC State or Oakland, this matchup is sure to be a thrilling one for college basketball fans everywhere. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as game day approaches.
