At the beginning of the season, the Creighton Blue Jays were one of the hottest tickets on the College Basketball lines future market. But that was an unusual status position for Creighton. And early on, the Bluejays wilted under the heat of the national spotlight. But once the attention of gamblers went elsewhere, Creighton picked up the pace to finish strong. Meanwhile, the NC State Wolfpack was an afterthought in the ACC this season. But a good stretch run punched their ticket to the Big Dance. NC State and Creighton make for an excellent first round matchup.
Creighton Bluejays vs. NC State Wolfpack Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Friday, March 17, 2023, 4 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado |
| TV Coverage: | TNT |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC State | +5 (-110) | 148½ (-110) | +180 |  |
| Creighton | -5 (-110) | 148½ (-110) | -220 | |
| ||||
Creighton vs. NC State SBG Odds Overview
Although they are not blue bloods, Creighton and NC State are known online betting brands. At the beginning, Creighton got most of the early wagering action. But sharps like a quality underdog in a matchup that is close to even.
Creighton Bluejays Team Overview
Overall, the Creighton Bluejays are 20-11 straight up, 15-16 against the spread, and 14-16 over/under the total. Creighton has national metrics of 57th for scoring offense, 52nd for field goal percentage, 96th for 3-point field goal percentage, 36th for free throw percentage, and 32nd for offensive rebounding. While defensively, Creighton is 120th for scoring defense, 77th for field goal percentage permitted, 162nd for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 165th for defensive rebounding.
Creighton got the cash in three of its previous four games. Also, the Bluejays went over the total in four of their last five outings. Ryan Kalkbrenner leads Creighton with 15.4 points per game. At the same time, Baylor Scheierman adds 8.4 rebounds per contest.
Last January, Xavier point guard Souley Boum scored a season-low two points in a loss at Creighton and was undeniably outplayed by his counterpart, Ryan Nembhard. Last Friday, Boum turned it around, scoring 23 points and playing lock-down defense. No. 15 Xavier cruised into the Big East championship game with an 82-60 victory against No. 24 Creighton. In comparison, Nembhard managed just five points on 2-for-12 shooting. Previously he nearly got a triple-double in Creighton’s Jan. 28 victory against the Musketeers.
Ryan Kalkbrenner led Creighton with 18 points on 7-for-7 shooting. The rest of the Bluejays went 14 for 49 from the field. Creighton was looking for its third straight Big East championship game appearance and fifth overall. Since joining the league in 2013-14, the Bluejays have yet to win the conference tournament.
NC State Wolfpack Team Overview
Overall, the NC State Wolfpack are 22-9 straight up, 15-14-2 against the spread, and 15-15 over/under the total. NC State has national metrics of 37th for scoring offense, 169th for field goal percentage, 152nd for 3-point field goal percentage, 170th for free throw percentage, and 45th for offensive rebounding. While defensively, NC State is 191st for scoring defense, 211th for field goal percentage permitted, 51st for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 245th for defensive rebounding.
Late on, NC State got the cash in four of its previous six games. The Wolfpack went under the total in two of their last three outings. Terquavion Smith leads NC State with 17.5 points per game. Jack Clark adds 6.7 rebounds per contest.
Creighton vs. NC State SBG Free Picks
In sum, NC State is an excellent value in this spot as a quality College basketball lines underdog.
Creighton vs. NC State SBG Best Bet: NC State Wolfpack.