NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Longhorns: NCAA Tournament First Four Odds, Spread, and Total
There’s a price to be paid for ending your conference slate 2-4, although it’s not a prohibitive one. The No. 11-seeded NC State Wolfpack meets the No. 11-seeded Texas Longhorns…
There's a price to be paid for ending your conference slate 2-4, although it's not a prohibitive one. The No. 11-seeded NC State Wolfpack meets the No. 11-seeded Texas Longhorns in an NCAA First Four clash on Tuesday at 9:15 p.m. EST, competing at the University of Dayton on the first night of March Madness.
NC State could have been seeded in the Round of 64 with a better regular-season finish or a decent run in the ACC Tournament. However, the Wolfpack's fans can see a shining bright side in the Wolfpack's plight. Seeding eighth or ninth in March Madness would have pitted the Wolfpack against an elite program in the next tipoff, presuming NCSU made it that far. Given No. 11 seeds, a First Four win matches the Wolfpack or the Longhorns against no more than a West region No. 6 seed in the BYU Cougars.
Tuesday's winner will face Brigham Young in a first-round tipoff this Thursday in San Jose. The 20-13 Wolfpack and the 18-14 Longhorns had their only two men's basketball encounters to date in 2024 and 2025, Texas prevailing 63-59 in 2024 before winning a more wide-open tilt 102-97 early this season.
Spread
- Wolfpack -1 (-102)
- Longhorns +1 (-117)
Money line
- Wolfpack -106
- Longhorns -103
Total
- Over 158.5 (-104)
- Under 158.5 (-116)
Note: The above data was collected on March 17, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Longhorns Betting Trends
- Tuesday's opponents have gone a combined 2-10 since Feb. 21.
- First-half under bets on March Madness are 55.1% winners since 2018.
- Five teams from the First Four have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Longhorns Injury Reports
NC State Wolfpack
- Forward Colt Langdon is out with an undisclosed injury.
- Guard Alyn Breed is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Texas Longhorns
- Forward Lassina Traore is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Longhorns Predictions and Picks
St. Patrick's Day isn't a natural fit for Wolfpack or Longhorn colors. But a First Four appearance on a bar holiday boosts the number of eyes on NC State basketball this week. It could ramp up the pressure on a pair of teams that don't always get their shooters enough good looks. Texas is ranking sixth in the SEC in trey-shooting percentage, but only eleventh in made three-point shots. NCSU's three-point shooting mark of 38.1% leads the ACC. However, the Wolfpack went 24.1% from long range against Duke two weeks ago.
NC State's shooting effort in the ACC tourney was encouraging. NCSU seniors Tre Holloman and Darrion Williams and sophomore Paul McNeil went an aggregate 10-of-15 from downtown in the Wolfpack's 98-88 preliminary victory over Pittsburgh. NC State then went a sterling 11-of-22 from beyond the arc, McNeil hitting six more treys himself, in NC State's competitive 81-74 loss to No. 2 conference seed Virginia. Brian Murphy of WRAL writes that the Wolfpack takes "solace" in their improved effort against the Cavaliers, but that the round's tight action also showed how NCSU has underachieved in 2026.
Texas backed into its First Four bid with a 76-66 loss to 13-18 Ole Miss. The Longhorns were outpaced by an ugly 32 points in the paint. If Texas can't punish NC State on the glass, it's the Wolfpack's game to win.
