2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for LSU vs. NC State

Thursday's matchup between the LSU Tigers and NC State Wolfpack has the tightest spread of the day as LSU is just a 3.5-point favorite. How should we expect this game to play out?

Here are my favorite bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds for LSU vs. NC State.

Betting Picks LSU vs. NC State

NC State ML (+152)

This game's spread suggests a competitive contest, and that's further backed by Bart Torvik projecting LSU to win by just one point. With that mind, there could be value in siding with the underdog to win straight up at +152 odds.

For starters, Bart Torvik ranks these teams closely, with LSU at 11th and NC State at 14th. The Wolfpack own the slight edge in adjusted offense (9th vs. 13th) whereas the Tigers have the better adjusted defense (14th vs. 23rd).

Although NC State lost to LSU at a neutral site in November, the Wolfpack carry the better record in Quad-1 games (10-6) compared to the Tigers (6-5).

Further, four of NC State's Quad-1 losses came in the first half of the season (three were in November), and since losing to Cal on January 9th, they've gone 19-2 overall and 8-2 in Quad-1 matchups. That includes victories over Notre Dame, Duke, and North Carolina -- three teams that are not only 3 seeds or better but have also advanced to the Round of 16.

On the other hand, LSU stumbled down the stretch, entering this year's tournament as losers of three of their last four against Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas -- all Quad-1 defeats. While the Tigers recovered to win both of their tournament games rather comfortably, neither qualified as a Quad-1 matchup.

Considering that the recent and overall play of these teams against top-flight competition favors NC State, being able to side with them to get revenge on LSU is intriguing. Bart Torvik gives NC State a 47% chance of winning while these plus odds imply under a 40% chance, so the Wolfpack are arguably getting overlooked in the market.

Aneesha Morrow Under 20.5 Points (-114)

LSU's Aneesha Morrow has produced some huge games this month, but this line feels rather high relative to her season-long numbers. Morrow has averaged 18.5 points per game and scored 21+ points in only 12 of 34 outings (35.3%).

It's not like NC State is some cupcake matchup for Morrow, either. She leads the team in both two-point attempts (13.6) and free throw attempts (5.2) per game, and the Wolfpack are above average at defending twos (71st in two-point percentage allowed) and elite at suppressing foul shots (4th in free throw rate allowed).

Further, it's not like Morrow is the Tigers' only prominent scorer as she shares the load with Flau'jae Johnson (18.8 PPG) and Mikaylah Williams (17.4 PPG).

LSU is one of the better offenses in the country and also plays quickly (19th in adjusted tempo), so Morrow might score a good chunk of points in spite of the matchup. However, the fact she could score 20 and still fall short of this line pushes me toward the under.

You can also click here to get our updated printable Women's College Basketball Tournament bracket for the Round of 16.

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Which bets stand out to you for today's games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest women's college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.