Published Mar 17, 1:13am ET by
Keith McCarthy - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 17, 1:13am ET
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Updated Mar 17, 1:14am ET
Texas and NC State clash in the First Four on Tuesday. Having narrowly made the field, both teams will have a chip on their shoulder as they seek to earn a first-round matchup against 6-seed BYU.
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| NC State Wolfpack | -115 |
| Texas Longhorns | +105 |
The Longhorns made a return to the NCAA Tournament just four games above the .500 mark. A 7-8 record against Quadrant 1 opponents that included several key wins lifted up their resume just enough to sneak into the field. Awaiting them is a First Four matchup with NC State. Texas is balanced on both offense and defense and has the potential to make some noise if they make it out of Dayton. BYU would be up next if they do.
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NC State faded down the stretch of the regular season. Once a lock to make the tournament, the Wolfpack wound up in one of the final four spots in the field. They face an uphill climb against a battle-tested Texas team, though they hold six Q1 wins of their own. The Wolfpack are especially solid on defense and have the potential to wear opponents down. If they manage to bounce back and win this game they'll be a tough out.
NC State enters this game as the slight favorite with a marginally better record and ranking in the metrics. However, their late-season struggles are not something to overlook. Texas may have had 14 losses, but they also have wins worth earning them an even higher seed. Look for the Longhorns to earn the win in this one.
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Pick
Texas Longhorns (+105)
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