California vs NC State prediction, pick, College Basketball odds
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It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a California-NC State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch California-NC State.
This game will have a hard time making big headlines on a stacked college basketball Saturday, and it has to rate as a surprise to a certain degree. North Carolina State made the Final Four last season. We all know it happened in a supremely improbable way, with the Wolfpack winning five games at the ACC Tournament and then staying hot for four wins in the NCAA Tournament. We’re not going to see a run like that with any sort of regularity. One could make the argument this nine-game run was more improbable than the 1983 NC State team’s run to the national championship, especially when you consider this 2024 team didn’t have the ability to endlessly foul and force one-and-one situations for opponents. (Teams get only three one-and-ones today.) The 1983 NC State team also played in an era without a shot clock. It was just easier to be competitive for underdog teams over 40 years ago in college basketball. We all knew the 2024 NC State run was a very rare thing. Accordingly, we weren’t expecting NC State to have a great team this season.
But this? We probably expected better than what we have seen from coach Kevin Keatts. First of all, going to the Final Four at a proud ACC basketball school in the heart of the Carolinas seemed likely to ensure that NC State would get some quality pieces in the transfer portal. Those pieces weren’t going to create a superpower or even a top-four ACC team, but at least the Wolfpack would remain competitive and relevant. At least that, right? Nope. NC State is 2-4 in the ACC and 9-8 overall. The Wolfpack have basically no shot at the NCAA Tournament (as an at-large team; they could obviously get hot in mid-March once again, but who expects that?). They just blew a double-digit lead to a not-very-good Virginia Tech team. That’s part of the problem with NC State. The Wolfpack haven’t even played the best of the best in the ACC. Things are likely to get worse, not better.
It’s not any better for Cal. The Golden Bears struggled in Year 1 under coach Mark Madsen. They were supposed to be better in Year 2, but it hasn’t happened. Injuries have played a part, but the Bears have legitimately stumbled. They blew an 18-point lead at Missouri. They lost at home to Cornell. They have not been good for several weeks. They are trying to turn around their season as much as NC State is. These are two ACC teams searching for something, anything, to change the trajectory of their journey.
Here are the California-NC State College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: California-NC State Odds
California: +4.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +172
NC State: -4.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -210
Over: 144.5 (-110)
Under: 144.5 (-110)
How to Watch California vs NC State
Time: 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT
TV: ACC Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why California Will Cover The Spread/Win
NC State shouldn’t be favored by 4.5 points over any team right now, given the way the Wolfpack is playing. NC State has shown no lead is safe and no point spread feels secure. Cal is not a great team, but NC State simply doesn’t merit any trust.
Why NC State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Cal is not good enough and strong enough to go into Raleigh and win an ACC road game on the East Coast.
Final California-NC State Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Cal, but neither team can be trusted. Pass.
Final California-NC State Prediction & Pick: California +4.5
The post California vs NC State prediction, pick, College Basketball odds appeared first on ClutchPoints.
