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March Madness will continue on Thursday as the Sweet 16 kicks off, giving teams the opportunity to move within three wins of a national championship. The South Region will resume action on Friday and the No. 2 seed Marquette Golden Eagles will take on the No. 11 seed NC State Wolfpack.
The Golden Eagles will look to reach the Elite Eight for the eighth time in program history and the first since 2013. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack are in search of their first trip to the Elite Eight since 1986 and their seventh overall.
Marquette will enter play with a 27-9 record, which includes a 14-6 record in conference play. They finished second in the regular season standings and were the runner-up in the Big East Tournament. The Golden Eagles defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Colorado Buffaloes in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
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Meanwhile, NC State is 24-14 and finished 9-11 in ACC play. They appeared to be a longshot for March Madness but won the conference tournament. The Wolfpack have defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Oakland Golden Grizzlies to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
Marquette vs. NC State game details
Matchup: Marquette Golden Eagles vs. NC State Wolfpack
Date and Time: Friday, March 29, 7:09 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Marquette vs. NC State betting odds and spread
Marquette vs. NC State key stats
The Marquette Golden Eagles have averaged 78.6 points per game this season. They rank 59th out of 362 teams in the nation in points per game and 48th in offensive rating. The Golden Eagles have allowed 69.9 ppg, ranking 109th in scoring defense and 89th in defensive rating.
Marquette is led by Shaka Smart, who is in his third season leading the program. The team has a 75-29 record during his tenure. Smart spent the previous six seasons coaching the Texas Longhorns, leading them to a 109-86 record, preceded by a six-year stint leading the VCU Rams to a 163-56 record.
The NC State Wolfpack, meanwhile, have averaged 76.5 ppg, ranking 93rd in the nation in scoring offense and 91st in offensive rating. The Wolfpack have allowed 72.6 ppg, ranking 202nd in scoring defense and 196th in defensive rating.
NC State is led by Kevin Keatts, who is in his seventh season, leading the program to a 137-93 record. He previously led the UNC Wilmington Seahawks to a 72-28 record over three seasons.
Marquette vs. NC State betting prediction
The Marquette Golden Eagles have been among the best teams in the nation all season long. Meanwhile, the NC State Wolfpack are the only team in the Sweet 16 that has not been ranked at any point this season.
The Wolfpack may be the hottest team in college basketball as they are riding a seven-game winning streak, including victories over three ranked opponents. While they could pull off the upset very well, the safer bet is that NC State loses by no more than seven points.
Pick: NC State Wolfpack +7.5 (-110)
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