NC State Wolfpack vs Michigan State Spartans Prediction & Picks - NCAA Division I, Championship Women
USA - NCAA Division I, Championship Women
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by Travis Pulver | in Basketball Picks
The final day of the Second Round of the Women’s Tournament, with the No. 7 seed Michigan State Spartans taking on the No. 2 seed North Carolina State Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Monday at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Michigan State had a rough end to the season, losing three of their last five in the regular season before losing in the second round of the Big Ten tournament to Iowa. They were 4.5-point favorites against Harvard in the first round. They attempted 20 fewer shots than the Crimson but made one more than them (18-65 to 19-45). But the real damage came at the free throw line, where the Spartans went 22-27 to Harvard’s 10-12. The Spartans played an all-around solid game but struggled with turnovers (23), which led to 23 points for Harvard.
NC State was a 19.5-point favorite against No. 15 Vermont in the first round. While they were such a heavy favorite, they didn’t take control of the game until the fourth quarter when they outscored the Catamounts 23-19 to win by 20, 71-51. The Wolfpack turned the ball over just four times and scored 12 points off Vermont’s 13 turnovers.
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NC State Wolfpack - Michigan State Spartans Key Points
- NC State and Michigan State have played on three different occasions, with MSU winning two
- Michigan State last made the second round in 2019 and the Sweet 16 in 2009.
- NC State last made the second round in 2024 when they made it all the way to the Final Four.
- NC State was undefeated at home this season, 17-0.
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Our NC State Wolfpack vs Michigan State Spartans Prediction
Both teams have played well on offense all season (both rank in the top 30 in scoring), along with decent defense, allowing 63-65 points per game. But neither had a solid game on the offensive end in the first round. Was it a rust issue? Do their opponents deserve credit? It’s hard to say, which leads me to think both will lean more on their defense in this game and keep the score low. If I were to pick a winner, I'd lean towards NC State -6.5, but I'm more confident in the UNDER
Our Michigan State vs. NC State Pick: UNDER 152.5
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
