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The 2026 NCAA Tournament tips off Tuesday night with a pair of First Four matchups at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

Action gets underway at 6:40 PM ET with a 16-seed battle between UMBC and Howard in the Midwest Region, followed by a marquee Power 5 showdown in the West Region as the 11-seeded Texas Longhorns square off against the NC State Wolfpack at 9:15 PM ET.

The winner of that matchup will advance to face the 6-seeded BYU Cougars on Thursday night at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

Texas vs. NC State Game Info

  • 📍 Where: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
  • đź“… Date: Tuesday, March 17
  • ⏰ Start Time: 9:15 PM EST
  • 📺💻 TV/Streaming: truTV

Texas vs. NC State Odds at Hard Rock Bet

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Wolfpack are listed as short 1.5-point favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.

Market
Odds
MoneylineNC State -120, Texas -105
Point SpreadNC State -1.5, Texas +1.5
Total (Over/Under)157.5

Texas vs. NC State Betting Splits

Here’s how players at Hard Rock Bet are wagering on tonight’s First Four matchup:

  • NC State has gathered more moneyline support than Texas across the board, pulling in 60.2% of tickets and 62.4% of the handle.
  • Against the spread, the ticket split is virtually even at 50/50, but the money tells a different story – NC State is commanding 70.2% of the handle at Hard Rock Bet.
  • As far as the total goes, the Over has captured 73.8% of tickets and 77.4% of the handle, meaning bettors are expecting plenty of scoring in this one.

Referenced odds are subject to change.

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Michael Sciangula

Michael Sciangula is a New Jersey-based sports betting and online casino writer. He has contributed iGaming content to several publications over the last half decade including the Action Network, New York Post and Philadelphia Inquirer. Contact Michael at [email protected].