The Oakland Grizzlies are looking to make it four straight seasons in which a team seeded 14 or lower has made the Sweet 16, but to do so they will have to get past the NC State Wolfpack on Saturday.
Oakland Grizzlies vs. NC State Wolfpack (-6, 146.5)
The Grizzlies are giving up the most points per possession of any team remaining in the NCAA Tournament, entering Saturday 270th nationally in points allowed on a per possession basis, but experience the biggest boost in defense of any team in the country by being away from home.
While most teams have their defensive efficiency decline away from home, Oakland is the opposite, allowing 9.4 points per 100 possessions fewer when away from home than at home, the largest split of any team in the country.
The issue the Grizzlies face is their offense, which entered Friday 27th in the country in points scored on a per possession basis, drops off significantly when away from home, averaging 16.8 points fewer per 100 possessions.
The reason for the Grizzlies offensive dip away from home is their 3-point shooting percentage going from 38.4% at home to 34.9% away from home while attempting 42.6% of their field goal attempts when away from home from 3-point range, which is the 55th-highest rate road 3-point shooting rate in the country.
While Oakland attacks from the outside, NC State will look to get the ball inside, taking just 31.7% of their field goal attempts from 3-point range when away from home, ranking 302nd in percentage of road field goal attempts that come from 3-point range.
Overall for the season, NC State is 216th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and Oakland is 226th, but the Wolfpack enter Saturday guarding the arc at a high level with opponents shooting 27.3% from 3-point range the past five games.
The Wolfpack face an Oakland defense that is 182nd in opponent 2-point shooting percentage and should get more second chance scoring chances with Oakland 143rd in defensive rebound rate in games played away from home while NC State is 81st in this category.
With NC State one of the best teams in the country in ball security, ranking 11th in fewest turnovers per possession, they will secure a win over Oakland to go to the Sweet 16.
The Play: NC State -6
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