NC State basketball, the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region, continues its March Madness run on Friday (7:09 p.m. ET, CBS) against second-seeded Marquette in the Sweet 16.

The 11th-seeded Wolfpack (24-14) will face the second-seeded Golden Eagles (27-9) at the South Regional on Friday at the American Airlines Center, home of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, in Dallas.

The Wolfpack (24-14) and the Golden Eagles (27-9) play for a spot in the Elite Eight. NC State is coming off wins against Texas Tech and Oakland, and Marquette earned victories against Western Kentucky and Colorado.

NC State and Marquette met in the 1974 NCAA championship game, with the Wolfpack winning their first national title. This season, in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, the Wolfpack is aiming for its first Elite Eight game since 1986.

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Here are some things to know and a score prediction for NC State’s Sweet 16 matchup with the Eagles in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The winner will face top-seeded Houston (32-4) or fourth-seeded Duke (26-8) on Sunday with a spot in the Final Four up for grabs.

Marquette’s Tyler Kolek is back and as good as advertised

Tyler Kolek, Marquette’s maestro in the backcourt, returned in the NCAA Tournament after missing six games with an oblique injury. Kolek hasn’t missed a beat through two postseason games, averaging 19.5 points and 11 assists. If NC State allows Kolek to be comfortable, it’ll be a long night for the Pack.

NC State’s DJ Burns Jr. vs. Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro

DJ Burns Jr., NC State’s 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward, and Oso Ighodaro, Marquette’s 6-foot-11, 235-pound center, will provide another fascinating matchup on the interior. Burns had 24 points and 11 rebounds against Oakland as the first NC State player since 1985 to reach those marks in the tournament. Burns’ passing ability also makes him a nightmare matchup, but Ighodaro’s defensive versatility could help the Eagles find some different ways to disrupt State’s flow on offense.

Mo Diarra remains Wolfpack’s X-factor

NC State has been a different team, because Mo Diarra has been a different player in the last two weeks. With double-double performances in four of his last five games, Diarra has given NC State something it didn’t have for most of the season. He’s averaging 14 points and 12.5 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.

NC State vs Marquette prediction in March Madness Sweet 16

NC State 76, Marquette 72: The Golden Eagles are the favorites and have Kolek back in the mix, but this is March. Kevin Keatts has NC State rolling at the right time, so why not the Wolfpack?

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Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State vs. Marquette prediction: March Madness, Sweet 16 pick is in