ryan-kalkbrenner-usatsi-creighton.jpg
USATSI

A first-round matchup in the 2023 NCAA Tournament has the No. 6 seed Creighton Bluejays and the No. 11 seed NC State Wolfpack squaring off on Friday afternoon. This will be the third overall contest between these schools. The last game took place in 2016, where Creighton won 112-94. NC State was last in the tournament in 2018, where they lost in the second round to Seton Hall. On the other side, Creighton is playing in their third straight NCAA Tournament. 

Tipoff from Ball Arena in Denver is set for 4 p.m. ET. The Bluejays are 5.5-point favorites in the latest NC State vs. Creighton odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 148.5. Before locking in any NC State vs. Creighton, picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and March Madness betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the 2023 NCAA Tournament 79-53 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,300 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on NC State vs. Creighton and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for NC State vs. Creighton:

  • NC State vs. Creighton: Bluejays -5.5
  • NC State vs. Creighton over/under: 148.5 points  
  • NC State vs. Creighton money line: Bluejays -240, Wolfpack +200
  • NCST: Wolfpack are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight-up loss 
  • CREI: Bluejays are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 neutral site games 
  • NC State vs. Creighton picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Creighton can cover

Sophomore guard Trey Alexander is a solid three-level scorer for the Bluejays. Alexander owns a quick release with good range on the outside. The Oklahoma native is averaging 13.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and shoots 44% on 3-point attempts. In the March 1 win over Georgetown, Alexander finished with 25 points and four assists, while knocking down 7 3-pointers.

Sophomore forward Arthur Kaluma is a good athlete who has long arms. Kaluma plays downhill to attack the paint and be a stout rebounder. The Arizona native cleans the glass well and holds his own against taller players. He logs 11.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest. In the Feb. 25 game versus Villanova, Kaluma tallied 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists. 

Why NC State can cover

Sophomore guard Terquavion Smith does plenty of damage in the mid-range and around the basket. Smith knows how to move without the ball to create space and has good length that causes problems for defenders. Smith puts up 17.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per contest. On March 8 against Virginia Tech, he totaled 30 points and eight boards.

Senior guard Jarkel Joiner is another agile and smooth shooting threat. Joiner lets it fly with the upmost confidence from beyond the arc. The Mississippi native logs 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Additionally, he shoots 36% from beyond the arc. In the Feb. 28 contest against Duke, Joiner racked up 26 points, eight boards, and went 6 of 12 from 3-point land. 

How to make NC State vs. Creighton picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 148 points. The model also says one side hits almost 60% of the time. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine

So who wins NC State vs. Creighton? And which side hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.