The Atlantic Coast Conference clash between the Wolfpack and Orange will occur tonight, February 20th, at PNC Arena. This matchup arrives relatively quickly after their last meeting a month ago when North Carolina State was defeated 77-65 on the road on January 27th. This time around, the Wolfpack is playing at home, and after Saturday's 78-77 win against Clemson, sports gambling apps are motivated to allocate a 5-point favorite status to Syracuse.
Syracuse didn't justify its two-point favorite status against Georgia Tech on Saturday, losing 65-60 on the road. However, Syracuse has won the last six games against North Carolina and should not be underestimated. This pair of ACC basketball programs should be one of the most exciting matchups tonight, available for betting with a DraftKings sports promo code.
The Wolfpack Is Coming Off a Big Win
The Wolfpack is tied for the 5th seed in the ACC with an overall 16-9 record. Ahead of the matchup with Syracuse, NC State averaged 75.5 points per night, shooting 44.2% from the floor and 33.5% from the three-point line, with 7.2 three-pointers a night. Rebounding is solid, with 35.6 boards per contest. North Carolina State is playing above the national average from a defensive perspective, allowing 70.8 points per game.
Productive players on the roster are DJ Horne, with 16.8 points per game, his namesake DJ Burns Jr., who contributes an average of 11.9 points per game, and Mohamed Diarra, the best player on the boards with 103 rebounds. Horne is the Wolfpack's clutch player, securing the win against Clemson on Saturday in the last seconds of the game. It's worth mentioning that the Wolfpack lost two games straight before the surprising win over Clemson and does not have a record signaling consistency.
The Orange Does Not Fare Well on the Road
Syracuse is dropping in the ACC standings, with the loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday pushing them to the 9th seed in the conference with a 16-10 overall record. Similarly to NC State, Syracuse is not very consistent, losing four out of their last six matchups. However, this is a resilient team, frequently making comebacks from large deficits and staying competitive until the end of a game. Yet, they also have had blowouts as a road team.
The offense averages 75.4 points per game this season, with 44.8% efficiency from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc. As it's already apparent, these stats are similar to the Wolfpack's offensive productivity. When protecting their half of the hardwood floor, the Orange plays under the national average by conceding 74.3 points a night.
Impact players are Judah Mintz, who has 18.3 points, while J.J. Starling offers 13.7 points per game. Maliq Brown is the leading rebounder with 177 rebounds but is also crafty in stealing the ball, with 59 steals so far in the season.
Betting Prediction and Odds
Syracuse has not found much success on the road, with a 2-6 record as the visiting team. On the other hand, North Carolina State is 11-3 at home this season. The best betting site with free bets offers -250 odds for a Wolfpack moneyline bet and +205 betting line on Syracuse. Covering the 5.5-points spread is worth -115 odds on the favorite and -105 for the underdog. The total is 151.5 points with equal -110 odds on Over and Under bets. NC State has the better stats by a small margin, and the Orange's defensive capabilities will make for a thrilling matchup.
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