Halftime Report

North Carolina State is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have jumped out to a quick 37-33 lead against Texas Tech.

North Carolina State entered the matchup having won five straight and they're just one half away from another. Will they make it six, or will Texas Tech step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.

Who's Playing

North Carolina State Wolfpack @ Texas Tech Red Raiders

Current Records: North Carolina State 17-14, Texas Tech 22-9

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What to Know

The Texas Tech Red Raiders and the North Carolina State Wolfpack are set to clash at 9:40 p.m. ET on Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in a Big 12 postseason contest. Texas Tech might want some stickum for this game since the team gave up 19 turnovers on Friday.

After a string of four wins, Texas Tech's good fortune finally ran out. They suffered a grim 82-59 defeat to the Cougars. The game was a close 32-29 at the break, but unfortunately for Texas Tech it sure didn't stay that way.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Chance McMillian, who scored 15 points along with five rebounds.

Even though North Carolina State has not done well against N. Carolina recently (they were 2-8 in their previous ten matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Saturday. The Wolfpack walked away with an 84-76 victory over the Tar Heels. That's two games straight that North Carolina State has won by exactly eight points.

North Carolina State's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was DJ Horne, who scored 29 points. Horne didn't help North Carolina State's cause all that much against Virginia on Friday but the same can't be said for this match. DJ Burns Jr. was another key contributor, scoring 20 points along with seven assists.

The Red Raiders' loss dropped their record down to 23-10. As for the Wolfpack, the win (which was their fifth in a row) raised their record to 22-14.

Texas Tech is hoping to beat the odds on Thursday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss.

Odds

Texas Tech is a 5-point favorite against North Carolina State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Red Raiders as a 4.5-point favorite.


The over/under is 145.5 points.

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