North Carolina
Michigan State women vs North Carolina prediction: March Madness, NCAA pick is in
Breaking down the Albany 1 region first-round game between No. 9-seed Michigan State and 8-seed North Carolina:
Records: Michigan State (22-8, 12-6 Big Ten); North Carolina (19-12, 11-7 ACC).
Fast facts: 11:30 a.m. Friday; Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina.
TV: ESPN2.
At stake: Winner faces winner of 1-seed South Carolina and 16-seed Sacred Heart or 16-seed Presbyterian on Sunday for spot in Sweet 16 in Albany, New York.
PRINT YOUR BRACKET: March Madness schedule, how to watch the NCAA tournament
About MSU
Location: East Lansing
Coach: Robyn Fralick (First season at MSU; 22-8 at MSU; 85-68 in Division I in six seasons).
School tournament record: 19-18 in 18 appearances.
Past 10 regular-season games: 7-3.
Scoring leaders: Julia Ayrault, 15.4 points per game; Moira Joiner, 14.7; DeeDee Hagemann, 12.4.
Rebounding leaders: Ayrault, 7.2 rebounds per game; Joiner, 4.8; Tory Ozment, 4.7.
Assist leaders: Hagemann, 5.1 assists per game; Joiner, 2.7; Theryn Hallock, 2.7.
3-point leaders: Joiner, 43.2%; Hagemann, 41.4%; Hallock, 37%.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT: Michigan State women’s basketball’s March Madness opponent is North Carolina in 2024 NCAA tournament
The buzz: It’s tough to imagine a more perfect debut season for Fralick, the 2020-21 MAC Coach of the Year and a 2017 national champion while leading Division II Ashland (where she went 104-3) — the Spartans swept rival Michigan and topped 90 points a dozen times, including six times against major-conference opponents. In all, the Spartans averaged 83.7 points a game, good for sixth in the nation, while whooting 48.4% from the field (ninth nationally) and 37.3% on 3s (12th). That was despite finishing 275th in rebounds per game. Then again, if you never miss, you never rebound, either. No Spartan made a bigger leap this season than Ayrault in her senior season; the Grosse Pointe North product went from averaging 3.6 points in 10.5 minutes a game last season to 15.4 in 25 minutes under Fralick while making the All-Big Ten first team. Joining Ayrault on the All-Big Ten team was Hagemann, a junior; the former Miss Basketball out of Detroit Edison earned second-team honors while averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 assists a game. Hagemann also took a huge leap, going from shooting 48.2% on 2-pointers and 30.3% on 3s last season to 58.8% and 41.4%, respectively, during this campaign. MSU’s defense isn’t always the sharpest, but the Spartans can stop opponents — or at least slow them down — when they’re focused. Consider their lone matchup against Big Ten champ Iowa on Jan. 2 on the road; the Spartans held the Hawkeyes to 41.8% shooting — including a 14-for-34 performance from all-everything Caitlin Clark, who still had 40 points — before Clark ended it with a buzzer-beating 3 for a 76-73 win.
About North Carolina
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Coach: Courtney Banghart (95-55 in five seasons at UNC; 349-158 overall in 17 seasons).
School tournament record: 50-29 in 30 appearances.
Past 10 regular-season games: 4-6.
Scoring leaders: Deja Kelly, 16.7 points per game; Alyssa Ustby, 12.4; Lexi Donarski, 10.8.
Rebounding leaders: Ustby, 9.3 rebounds per game; Maria Gakdeng, 5.8; Indya Nivar, 4.3.
Assist leaders: Ustby, 3.6 assists per gae; Kelly, 3.3; Kayla McPherson, 1.9.
3-point leaders: Sydney Barker, 40%; Alexandra Zelaya, 35.3%; Lexi Donarski, 34.6%.
The buzz: An 8-seed is something of a disappointment for the Tar Heels, considering they entered last season’s tourney as a 6 (before falling to Ohio State), entered this season at No. 16 in the polls and had two of the most experienced guards in the nation in Kelly, from Texas, and Ustby, from Minnesota. And as late as Jan. 25, the Heels appeared on track for a top-4 seed. But then came a skid in the ACC, with losses in six of nine games, including two to a top-10 Virginia Tech squad. UNC’s lone conference tourney game didn’t help, either, as the Tar Heels blew a 14-point second-half lead in a one-point loss to Miami. Kelly had 15 points, but made just six of 20 shots from the field, a microcosm of her season in which she bumped up her scoring average slightly, but shot just 35% overall and 28.8% beyond the arc (compared to 37.3% and 28.1% last season). Similarly, Ustby’s percentages dropped, from 50.6% overall and 30.3% on 3s last season to 47.8% and 27.3% in 2023-24. Still, the Tar Heels do a good job of holding onto the ball, with their 12.8 turnovers a game ranking 335th in the nation, and can change opponents’ shots, as they average 4.6 blocks a game (31st).
Prediction
This one could be decided in the first few minutes if the Spartans connect early from outside and make the Tar Heels keep up with their top-level offense. But if it turns into an interior slugfest, UNC has plenty of experience making that work. The pick: MSU 75, UNC 57.
Less than two weeks after losing its head coach to Duke University, a North Carolina high school football program has been promoted from within.
Kevin Reddick will become the new head coach at Rolesville High School, replacing Ranier Rackley, who became the Director of Player Development at Duke University.
News of the decision was first reported by High School OT.
Reddick was the defensive coordinator for the Rams for the past three seasons, helping the team win 25 games during that run. Last year, Rolesville allowed just under 15 points per game with Reddick in charge of the defense.
North Carolina High School Promotes Defensive Coordinator To Head Coach
Rolesville finished 9-4 last season under Rackley and Reddick.
Reddick is a graduate of New Bern High School, helping the Bears capture the 2007 Class 4AA North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Football championship. He was tabbed the most valuable player of that title game as a sophomore fullback after scoring two touchdowns in a 28-17 victory over Independence.
At New Bern, Reddick earned conference defensive player of the year honors and was all-state at lineback as a senior after recording 189 tackles, eight quarterback sacks, six forced fumbles and four blocked punts. He also ran for over 160 yards and scored six touchdowns.
Kevin Reddick Was College Standout, Had NFL Career Before Becoming Coach
Following his high school career, Reddick signed with North Carolina as a four-star prospect, earning first team all-ACC honors as a senior. He also had offers from North Carolina State, Virginia and Clemson.
With the Tar Heels, Reddick played in 50 games, recording 275 tackles, including 36 for loss, with 8.5 quarterback sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Reddick signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent, and also had stints with the San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills.
Rolesville reached the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Football championship game with Reddick on the coaching staff and the third round this past season.
Rolesville Returns Top Rusher, Several Other Key Players
The Rams will be replacing starting quarterback Kaleb Williams, who had almost 2,500 yards passing and 22 touchdowns, as freshman Chase Williams was 8-for-8 for 98 yards with a touchdown in three games.
They will have top running back Amir Brown back, as he ran for 1,374 yards with 22 touchdowns and six games of 100 yards rushing as a junior. He also had 13 receptions for 106 yards and another TD.
Anthony Roberts is another key player back, as he caught 35 passes for 656 yards and nine TDs. Top tacklers Jayden Broadie, Javon Campbell, Genesis Allen and Keonte Sutton are all set to return, as well.
Follow
At least two people are dead and “several” others are injured after a “planned fight” at a North Carolina park escalated into a mass shooting, authorities said.
Police have identified several victims and suspects after Monday’s shooting at Leinbach Park near Jefferson Middle School, according to the Winston-Salem Police Department.
Authorities confirmed there were multiple victims in the shooting, but did not provide an exact number. The suspects were still at large over two hours later.
Officers were called to the park just before 10 a.m. after reports of a fight, which then escalated into multiple people shooting each other.
Area schools are not in lockdown, and classes are operating as normal, police said.
“Due to the number of people involved, efforts are ongoing to account for everyone. At this time, some of those involved in the incident are juveniles,” police said.
According to local news station WFMY, at least three people were taken to the hospital. Officials have not shared their conditions.
Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and remains under investigation.
This is a developing story
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 19, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 6-2-0, Fireball: 6
Evening: 4-1-7, Fireball: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 7-6-9-4, Fireball: 4
Evening: 8-1-5-6, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
02-21-32-35-37
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from April 19 drawing
18-26-27-31-42
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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