6:32 pm
January 13

North Carolina State @ Florida State

Who will WIN this matchup?

North Carolina State Wolfpack (6-3)

@ Florida State Seminoles (5-2)

 

Current odds:

North Carolina State Wolfpack: (+140)

Florida State Seminoles: (-160)

 

• The line for this game is Florida State by 3.5 points.

• Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton says his team is still trying to find its identity. That process was halted over the past two weeks due to a COVID-19 positive test and contact tracing within the program, discoveries that led to three postponed games. On Wednesday night, Florida State (5-2, 1-1 ACC) will end its longest in-season layoff since a holiday break during the 1956-57 season when it plays host to North Carolina State (6-3, 2-2) in Tallahassee, Fla.

• One of Florida State’s strengths is field-goal defense — a category in which it ranks 45th nationally. The Seminoles have held opponents to under 70 points in four of their five wins but have allowed an average of 81.5 points in their two defeats.

• Their offense has come primarily from three guards: M.J. Walker (15.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game), Scottie Barnes (11.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists) and Anthony Polite (10.9 points, 5.1 rebounds). Forward Balsa Koprivica has contributed 9.9 points and 5.9 rebounds.

• NC State ranks seventh in the nation in steals per game (9.8), 11th in turnover margin (plus-5.8) and 12th in turnovers forced per game (18.56). But during their past two defeats, the Wolfpack went minus-5 in turnover margin against Clemson and minus-3 against Miami.

• Keatts said his team also has yet to hit its stride due to injuries to key players such as Braxton Beverly (ankle). But Devon Daniels (15.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2 steals per game), DJ Funderburk (13 points, 5 rebounds) and Jericole Hellems (11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2 assists) have led NC State’s average output of 77.3 points a game.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Florida State Seminoles
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