NC State vs Duke Elite Eight Prediction & Best Bets: Will the Wolfpack’s Magical Run Finally End?

Seventeen days ago, Duke faced NC State in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament in Washington D.C. The second-seeded Blue Devils were favored by double digits and expected to bounce the tenth-seeded Wolfpack from the tournament.

Instead, NC State did the bouncing, eliminating Duke with a 74-69 win. The Wolfpack then defeated #3 seed Virginia in the semifinals and #1 seed North Carolina in the final to win their first ACC Tournament title since 1986, landing a NCAA Tournament berth they would not have received without winning the automatic bid.

Today, the Blue Devils have a chance to finish what they caused, as the two ACC rivals meet in the South Region final in Dallas (5:05 pm ET, CBS).

After becoming the lowest seed to win the ACC Tournament, the Wolfpack are a win away from tying the record for the lowest seed to reach the Final Four, matching LSU in 1986, George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, and Loyola in 2018.

Can they follow up their wins over Texas Tech, Oakland, and Marquette with their second upset of Duke this month? The fourth-seeded Blue Devils, who edged #1 seed Houston in the Sweet Sixteen, are looking to reach the Final Four for the 18^th time while depriving the Wolfpack of a first trip to the Final Four since 1983, when they memorably stunned Houston at the buzzer to win the national championship.

NC State vs Duke Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments.

Spread

• NC State -7 (-105)
• Duke -7 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 143 (-105)
• Under 143 (-115)

Moneyline

• NC State +260
• Duke -310

Looking for more college basketball picks? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for Tennessee vs Purdue and NC State vs Duke.

NC State vs Duke Betting Analysis and Prediction

Sometimes, there are things that metrics and statistics don’t foretell or account for. NC State’s run to the Elite Eight is one such thing.

Statistically, there aren’t a lot of things that the Wolfpack do well on either end of the court. But in their March Madness run, they have done everything they needed to do when they needed to do it.

Make shots? Check. Get defensive stops? Check. Make late free throws? Check.

Don’t mistake NC State for a plucky bunch of overachievers, however. There’s a lot of talent on this team; it just seems that it took needing to win every single game in front of them for their season to continue for everything to come together.

But after upsetting Duke in the ACC Tournament, it will take some doing for NC State to do it again in an even bigger moment.

NC State vs Duke Players to Watch

NC State

• DJ Horne: 16.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 41.1% 3PT
• DJ Burns Jr.: 12.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.8 APG
• Mohamed Diarra: 6.5 RPG, 7.9 RPG (13.0 PPG, 13.3 RPG in the NCAA Tournament)

Duke

• Kyle Filipowski: 16.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 BPG
• Jeremy Roach: 14.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.5 RPG, 43.2% 3PT
• Jared McCain: 13.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 41.2% 3PT

After ending the regular season with a home loss to North Carolina and then exiting the ACC Tournament in their first game, I wasn’t sure that the Blue Devils had the right stuff to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

However, they have shown why they were considered one of the top national championship contenders entering this season. They have been exceptional on defense, allowing 47, 55, and 51 points and 39.1% combined shooting from the field.

This season, Duke is 16-0 SU and 13-3 ATS when they have allowed 65 or fewer points. That includes a 79-64 win at NC State on March 4, when the Blue Devils covered comfortably as a six-point favorite.

Also, the Blue Devils are 10-3 SU and 9-4 ATS when they have been favored by single digits. They lost at home to Arizona as a 5.5-point favorite, at Arkansas as a 4.5-point favorite, and at home against UNC as a 4.5-point favorite.

Entering the ACC Tournament, NC State was just 2-10 SU and 4-7-1 ATS as an underdog this season. But they have notched six straight outright wins, four in the last four rounds of the ACC Tournament and two more in the NCAA Tournament.

All good things must come to an end, however.

NC State vs Duke Prediction: Duke to win and cover

NC State vs Duke Best Bets

Duke -7 & Duke First Half Team Total Over 35.5 (-105 at Bovada)

When the Wolfpack and Blue Devils met in the ACC Tournament, Duke didn’t bring it in the first half and allowed NC State to build confidence and get a foothold. I don’t think they will make the same mistake this time, however.

More March Madness Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on March Madness This Year?

Each year, millions upon of millions of March Madness bets are placed at the top online sports betting sites.

Most March Madness betting takes place around and at tournament time, which is from mid-March to early April. But throughout the year, you can bet on who you think will win the college basketball national championship.

Along with men’s college basketball odds, most good sportsbooks now carry women’s college basketball national championship odds. Those odds are drawing a lot of attention with the likes of South Carolina, Iowa, and LSU vying to cut down the nets in Cleveland, Ohio on April 7.

Numerous sportsbooks are good for March Madness betting, but in addition to BetOnline, here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (Review)
• BetUS (Review)
• Bovada (Review)
• MyBookie (Review)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Speaking of offers, keep an eye on the latest sportsbook offers from these books and others as the countdown to the opening tip of March Madness continues. That way, you will not miss out on any special sports betting promos and bonuses to pad your bankroll for March Madness betting.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you like this NC State vs Duke betting breakdown and would like to check out our other March Madness content, our March Madness guide is where you can find it all in one tidy place. But here’s a rundown of some of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting this year.

We’re also covering the 2024 NIT, so check out that content as well.

• Men’s March Madness Futures Odds
• Women’s March Madness Futures Odds
• 2024 Men’s Final Four Odds
• Six Men’s March Madness Sleepers for 2024
• Best March Madness Betting Tips & Strategies
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites for This Year
• This Year’s Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge!)

Interested in Learning More About Betting on March Madness & NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on men’s or women’s NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on March Madness, the Mountain West, the MAAC, McNeese State, and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more March Madness and NCAA basketball insight from myself and the rest of our team. We’re cooking up a lot of great NCAA Tournament content for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, so hit those links so you don’t miss out on any of it.

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