- NC State survived an upset bid by Oakland in OT on Saturday
- Marquette took down Colorado 81-77
- See the opening NC State vs Marquette odds, including the point spread, moneyline, and game total for the 2024 Sweet 16
The dream continues for the #11 NC State Wolfpack, who had to win five games in five days just to earn the ACC’s auto-bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
After blowing out Texas Tech in the first round, the Wolfpack survived an OT affair with #14 Oakland in round two, setting up a Sweet 16 date with the #2 Marquette Golden Eagles, who squeaked past #10 Colorado, 81-77.
The opening NC State vs Marquette odds heavily favor the Wolfpack’s wild run finally coming to an end.
NC State vs Marquette Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC State Wolfpack | +6.5 (-110) | +220 | O 150.5 (-110) |
| Marquette Golden Eagles | -6.5 (-110) | -270 | U 150.5 (-110) |
Marquette is listed as a 6.5-point favorite in the South Region Sweet 16 odds. NC State is a +220 moneyline underdog to win its eighth in a row while the game total has opened at 150.5.
Odds as of March 24 at DraftKings.
Marquette remains the second-favorite to win the South Region, trailing only #1 Houston in the Final Four odds.
Wolfpack Survive Grizzlies in Overtime
A 6.5-point favorite over #14 Oakland, which pulled off the upset of the tournament when it took down #3 Kentucky (82-78) in the first round, NC State kept a nose out in front of the Golden Grizzlies until the final five minutes.
Up six with under ten to play (51-45), NC State found itself trailing 64-63 with just 54 seconds on the clock. An and-one from Michael O’Connell put the Wolfpack back on top but Oakland would force OT with a pair of free throws.
The extra frame was all Wolfpack, who outscored Oakland 13-7 in OT and nearly wound up covering in a 79-73 win.
Big man DJ Burns put up a team-high 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting while adding 11 rebounds (five on offense), four assists, and a block. Burns had 16 points in NC State’s first-round win over Texas Tech (80-67) but that came in just 16 minutes due to foul trouble.
Burns’ huge night was clutch on a night when the team’s leading scorer, DJ Horne, didn’t have his A stuff (11 points on 4-of-11 shooting).
Marquette Leaves No Doubt Against Colorado
Marquette played an ugly first half in its opening-round win over Western Kentucky, trailing 43-36 at the break before storming back for an 87-69 win.
The Golden Eagles’ second-round 81-77 victory over Colorado followed a completely different script. Marquette hit the opening triple of the game and held a 45-34 lead at halftime. Colorado stormed back in the second and the game was tied 74-74 with four minutes left, but a Chase Ross three with 2:54 on the clock gave Marquette the lead for good.
Star point guard Tyler Kolek, who leads the nation in assists, had his second straight double-double, scoring a team-high 21 points with 11 assists and five rebounds. Kolek had 18 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds in Marquette’s victory over Western Kentucky.
Coming off an electric 28-point performance against the Hilltoppers, Marquette leading scorer Kam Jones added 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting against the Buffaloes.
The winner of NC State vs Marquette will go onto face #1 Houston, #4 Duke, #8 Utah State, or #12 James Madison in the Elite Eight in the South Region of the March Madness bracket. Houston is
In the upcoming Sweet 16 matchup between NC State and Marquette, both teams will be looking to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. As the excitement builds, fans and bettors alike are eagerly anticipating the game and analyzing the odds to make informed decisions on where to place their bets.
The point spread for the game currently favors NC State by 3.5 points, indicating that oddsmakers believe the Wolfpack have a slight edge over Marquette. This means that in order for a bet on NC State to be successful, they must win by at least 4 points. On the other hand, a bet on Marquette would be successful if they win outright or lose by 3 points or less.
In terms of the moneyline, NC State is listed as the favorite with odds of -165, while Marquette is the underdog with odds of +145. This means that a $100 bet on NC State would result in a profit of $60.61 if they win, while a $100 bet on Marquette would result in a profit of $145 if they pull off the upset.
The total for the game is set at 145 points, indicating that oddsmakers expect a relatively high-scoring affair between these two teams. Bettors can wager on whether the total combined score of both teams will be over or under 145 points.
As fans and bettors prepare for this highly anticipated Sweet 16 matchup, it’s important to consider all of these factors when making decisions on where to place their bets. With NC State favored by 3.5 points and a moneyline of -165, they are seen as the team to beat in this contest. However, Marquette has shown resilience throughout the tournament and should not be counted out. It will certainly be an exciting game to watch and wager on as these two teams battle it out for a spot in the Elite Eight.
