2013 NCAA Tournament – East Region Second Round
#8 North Carolina State Wolfpack vs #9 Temple Owls
Friday, March 22, 2013, 1:40 pm Eastern, TV: TBS
University of Dayton Arena – Dayton, Ohio
Opening Line: NC State -3 1/2
Current Line: NC State -4 1/2
Opening Total: 149
Current Total: 149 1/2
Opening Money Line: NC State -175 / Temple +155
Current Money Line: NC State -205 / Temple +175
The 24-10 North Carolina State Wolfpack were the pre-season pick to win the ACC this season. However, the Wolfpack underachieved and ended up with an 11-7 record in conference, and tied for fourth in conference with Virginia. NC State lost to regular season champ Miami 81-71 in the ACC semifinals Saturday. The Wolfpack were seeded #8 in the East region in the NCAA tournament.
The Wolfpack will take on the #9 seed Temple Owls in Dayton Friday. The winner will likely face #1 seed Indiana in the third round Sunday. Temple is 23-9 this season and finished tied for third in the Atlantic 10 with Butler and LaSalle. All three had 11-5 records. Temple lost to UMass in the A-10 quarterfinals last Friday 79-74. NC State leads the series 6-1 against Temple. The Owls won the last meeting though in 2003.
NC State is coached by Mark Gottfried. The Wolfpack have losses to Oklahoma St in a tournament in Puerto Rico, at Michigan, Maryland, Wake Forest, Virginia, Duke, North Carolina and Florida St, along with with a home loss to Miami. . NC State has key wins over Miami-Ohio, Penn St and UMass in Puerto Rico, UConn in New York, Cleveland St, Stanford, St. Bonaventure, and Western Michigan out of conference. The Wolfpack have ACC wins at Boston College twice, and home wins over Georgia Tech twice, Duke, Clemson twice, North Carolina, Virginia Tech twice, Florida St, Wake Forest, and Virginia. The Wolfpack are 17-15 ATS and the total is 15-14 this season.
NC State is outscoring teams 78-70 this season. The Wolfpack are #12 in scoring nationally, but #262 out of 347 teams in points allowed. NC State is shooting 49.4% from the field and 39.3% from 3 point range. The Wolfpack are in the top eleven nationally in both categories. North Carolina St makes 68.3% of their free throws. The Wolfpack average 37 rebounds and gives up 30.5 per game. NC State opponents’ are shooting 41.8% from the field and 29.9% from 3 point range. The Wolfpack are #20 in three point defense. NC State averages 15 assists, 7 steals, 4 blocks, and 12 turnovers per game.
Forward C.J. Leslie averages 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, a steal, and 1.2 blocks per game. Forward Richard Howell averages 12.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and a block. Forward Scott Wood averages 12.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assists per game.Forward T.J. Warren averages 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. Guard Lorenzo Brown averages 12.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 2 steals per game. Guard Rodney Purvis averages 8.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Tyler Lewis and Jordan Vandenburg will also get some time in the rotation.
Temple is coached by Fran Dunphy. The Owls have losses to Duke, Canisius, at Kansas, at Xavier, St. Bonaventure, at Butler, at St. Joseph’s, and Duquesne. The UMass loss snapped a 7 game losing streak for Temple. The Owls have key wins over Kent St, Rice, Delaware, at Villanova, Towson, Syracuse, Saint Louis, George Washington, Penn, Richmond, Charlotte twice, Dayton, UMass, LaSalle, Detroit, Rhode Island, Fordham, and Virginia Commonwealth. Temple is 14-16 ATS and the total is 16-8 this season.
Temple is outscoring teams 73-68 this season. The Owls are shooting 43% from the field and 33.4% from 3 point range. Temple makes 72.5% of their free throws. The Owls average 34.5 rebounds per game and give up 32.8 per game. Temple opponents are shooting 43.5% from the field and 35.5% from 3 point range. The Owls average 15 assists, 7 steals, 4 blocks and 12 turnovers.
Guard Khalif Wyatt averages 19.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Guard/forward Scootie Randall averages 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and a steal. Anthony Lee averages 10 points and 7 rebounds per game. He is probable with a concussion. Jake O’Brien averages 9.3 points, and 3.2 rebounds per game. Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson averages 8.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1 block per game. Will Cummings, T.J. DiLeo and Dalton Pepper also get significant minutes.
Temple is 4-1 ATS after failing to cover, 9-3 against ACC teams, 5-2 against teams with winning records, 3-7 after a straight up loss, 1-4 in neutral site games, 0-5 in Friday games, and 0-6-1 in NCAA tournament games.
NC State is 4-0 ATS against Atlantic 10 teams, 4-1 in NCAA tournament teams, 23-8-1 in Friday games, 19-7 in neutral site games, 5-2 overall, and 12-5 in non-conference games.
Though the Wolfpack have underachieved this season, they still have the talent to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. The Wolfpack did make it to the sweet 16 last year. Both of these teams are comfortable playing in the 70’s and aren’t great on defense. This should be a high scoring affair with the Wolfpack coming out on top in a close game.
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