North Carolina Central and North Dakota State kick off the second slate of First Four games on Wednesday when they collide for the right to play Duke in the Round of 64 in Dayton, Ohio. Sportsbooks opened NC Central as a 5.5-point underdog with a total of 135.
North Carolina Central vs North Dakota State Game Center
Standout Stats
- NC Central went just 10-6 SU in conference play and finished in a tie for third in the MEAC standings but earned an automatic berth into the tournament with a 50-47 triumph over top-seeded Norfolk State in the MEAC final.
- The Eagles’ defense is the biggest reason for their success, as they held the Spartans to only 34 percent shooting in the contest. On the year, NC Central led the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 66.3 points per game while also placing first in scoring margin (plus-5.1).
- North Dakota State went 9-7 SU in conference play to finish tied for third in the Summit League standings but upset second-seeded Omaha 73-63 in the championship game to collect its invite to Ohio. The Bison knocked down 10 of 24 three-pointers in the win over the Mavericks to earn the school’s third tournament selection in the past six years.
- The Bison are 1-3 in the NCAA Tournament all-time, including an 80-75 overtime upset of No. 5 seed Oklahoma in 2015. The Eagles are in the tournament for the third straight year, yet they haven’t won a game in that span, losing to UC Davis in 2017 and Texas Southern in 2018.
- Much like the Eagles, the Bison’s biggest strength comes on the defensive side of the floor. North Dakota State finished second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing an average of 72.2 points. Junior guard Vinnie Shahid led the club in scoring (12.8 points) and assists (2.7), while fellow junior guard Tyson Ward averages a team-high 6.3 rebounds and is second in scoring with 12.3 points.
- The Bison have been covering machines in the past few weeks, going 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games. On the season, they’re 15-16 ATS while NC Central comes in at a solid 18-11-1 ATS.
- UNDER bettors have been loving the Eagles, as NC Central has gone UNDER the closing total in each of its previous six tilts with an average combined score of 127.3 points. The Eagles boast an OVER/UNDER record of 13-17 this season.
My best bet for North Carolina Central-North Dakota State
UNDER 135 points
Due to the defense-first mindset both teams possess and NC Central’s red-hot UNDER tear, I’m expecting this game to stay relatively low-scoring and to go below the number. Bettors will likely be flocking to the OVER as a result of North Dakota State going OVER in three of its four tournament games, but past performance doesn’t necessarily dictate future results. Take the UNDER.
The total has gone UNDER in North Carolina Central’s last six games (avg. combined score: 127.33).away North Dakota State is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games.home North Dakota State is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games vs teams with winning records.home
