Women’s Final Four best bets: NC State vs. South Carolina odds, picks, prediction for 4/5

NC State vs. South Carolina Odds, Picks, Prediction, Best Bet

Friday, April 5, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN | ESPN+

Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NCAAW odds here

NC State Betting Preview

After a shaky end to the regular season, the Wolfpack find themselves two wins away from a national championship.

NC State has covered the spread in every game of the tournament outside of the first round when it was a 27-point favorite against Chattanooga.

Junior guard Aziaha James has been the best shooter in the tournament. She's scored at least 19 points in every game and is 16-for-28 from 3-point range. Alongside South Carolina transfer Saniya Rivers and freshman Zoe Brooks, great guard play has paced NC State's run to the Final Four.

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South Carolina Betting Preview

Following blowout victories over Presbyterian and North Carolina, the Gamecocks have been tested in their last two games.

In the Sweet 16, South Carolina nearly blew a 22-point second-half lead to Indiana, ultimately escaping with a 79-75 victory. In the Elite Eight against Oregon State, the Gamecocks were only up by four points with just under four minutes left in the game. Dawn Staley’s crew tightened up on defense and South Carolina went on an 8-0 run to end the Beavers' season and advance to the Final Four.

The Gamecocks have covered the spread just once in four tournament games, but we know how big those lines were set.

NC State vs. South Carolina

Betting Pick & Prediction

For the first time in months, South Carolina has to face a team that relies on great guard play. And while the Gamecocks usually have the advantage inside, NC State can minimize that with its stout rebounding. Both teams rank within the top three in defensive rebounds per game and are top 15 in defensive rebound rate.

In the last 12 Final Four games dating back to 2017, only one has been won by more than 10 points. NC State is talented enough to keep this within 11; take the points with the Wolfpack.

Pick: NC State +11.5 (-108) | 1 unit

Prop Bets

NC State — Saniya Rivers Over 11.5 points (-115; BetMGM) | 1 Unit

This has already been bet down from where it opened (13.5).

Rivers won a national championship with South Carolina so she’s going to have an extra edge to her for this one. Head coach Wes Moore is going to trust his best players down the stretch, so we can expect Rivers to play close to 40 minutes. With Rivers averaging 12.7 points per game a game, I think there’s good value on the Over.

South Carolina — Ashlyn Watkins Over 6.5 rebounds (-115; BetMGM) | 1 Unit

The 6-foot-3 sophomore will be the best athlete in this game and I think Dawn Staley gives her big minutes. Watkins averages seven rebounds per game, and in 17 games in which she's played at least 20 minutes, she has grabbed at least seven rebounds 15 times.