Florida State vs. NC State Odds
| Florida State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2 -110 | 142 -105o / -115u | -150 |
| NC State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2 -110 | 142 -105o / -115u | +130 |
Florida State and North Carolina State both enter the new year looking for a fresh start, as they begin full-time Atlantic Coast Conference play Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, NC.
A COVID-19 outbreak has kept Florida State sidelined for more than two weeks, while NC State has lost four games in a row.
NC State — which is 7-6 on the year so far — is coming off of a 91-83 loss at Miami on Wednesday night, when it let a second-half lead slip away. NC State led 73-68 with 7:06 remaining in the game, but did not make another field goal until 1:35 was left on the clock.
A 17-2 run for the Hurricanes to end the game sealed the outcome.
FSU has a lot of questions around who will actually be available for the game. Head coach Leonard Hamilton tested positive during the shutdown and only five or six players have been available for practice, according to the team.
With both squads looking for a fresh start to the new year, who will be able to take the first step in the right direction?
Saturday is the 60th meeting between the two programs. NC State leads the all-time series, 31-28. Kevin Keatts has a 1-2 record against Florida State as the head man at NC State and is 1-1 in games played at PNC Arena.
Florida State Seminoles
Florida State was picked second in the ACC preseason poll. That is the highest the Seminoles have been predicted to finish a season since joining the league in the 1991-92 season.
Transfer guard Caleb Mills has been a leader for the Seminoles on offense, averaging 12.2 points per game, while team mainstays Malik Osborne (11.8 PPG and 7.2 RPG) and Anthony Polite (10.1 PPG) have remained consistent.
Florida State is the third winningest team in ACC play, with a 121-42 record. Florida State averaged 24.8 wins per season in the last five seasons.
This game will be decided by one major factor I believe, as the Seminoles are one of the best teams in the country at forcing turnovers and NC State is one of the best teams in the country at limiting its turnovers.
FSU leads the ACC and ranks 22nd in the NCAA in forcing its opponents to turn it over an average of 17.6 times per game. The Seminoles also lead the ACC and rank 15th in the country in steals, averaging 10.1 per game.
NC State, meanwhile, is tied for second in the ACC and ranks 11th in college basketball, with an average of just 9.8 turnovers per game. The Pack have had single-digit turnovers in nine of their 13 games so far this year.
Coming into this season, NC State was 65-24 (.730) when it had less turnovers than its opponents, however, it is just 6-5 in those games so far this season.
NC State Wolfpack
Dereon Seabron has been a leader for the Wolfpack, averaging a double double for NC State with 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game to go along with a team-best 3.1 assists per game.
But senior forward Jericole Hellems may be an even bigger factor for the Pack, as he's currently averaging 15.2 points per game. In NC State's last game, Hellems tied his career high of 24 points against an ACC opponent. He also scored his 1,000th career point to become the 55th player in program history to reach that mark.
Hellems has scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games and the Miami game was the 50th double-digit scoring game of his career.
Over the last two games, Hellems is shooting 53.6% from the field while averaging 19 points per game.
He's also been a force on the defensive end, posting multiple steals in five of the last six games and has 14 total in the last six outings.
Saturday's matchup will also be a meeting of the top-two offensive rebounding teams in the ACC. NC State leads the ACC, with an average of 13.2 offensive rebounds per game, while Florida State is second in the ACC, with an average of 11.6 per game.
Seabron also leads the ACC and ranks 12 in the country as an individual, averaging 3.69 offensive rebounds per game.
Florida State vs. NC State Betting Pick
Florida State is coming off of a layoff, and I think it will be a struggle for it to shake the rust off not playing in over two weeks.
Meanwhile, NC State is in desperate need of a win, which I think it will get on Saturday.
I have NC State at +3 and I would feel confident in them up to PK
