Michigan State has been one of the best teams in the Big Ten this season. The Spartans went into the conference tournament with a 15-5 record in league play.
But then they lost in the first round of that league tournament to UCLA. The Spartans have now lost back-to-back games going into the NCAA Tournament. And despite going 24-10 overall, they’ve lost in five of their last 11 outings.
Could this be the making of a classic March Madness upset?
North Dakota State would like to think so.
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NDSU, a No. 14 seed, will take on No. 3-seeded Michigan State after winning the Summit League title. The Bison, who are 27-7 overall, went 14-2 in conference play and won each of their games in the league tournament by an average margin of 14.3 points.
The Bison are playing well right now, and Michigan State hasn’t been at its best as of late.
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North Dakota State vs. Michigan State Odds
Michigan State is a -16.5 college basketball betting odds favorite against North Dakota State, with the Over/Under being 143.5 points as of this writing.
The moneyline for North Dakota State is +950, while it’s -2000 for Michigan State.
North Dakota State vs. Michigan State On TV
The matchup between North Dakota State and Michigan State will be televised on TNT. The game will tip off at 4:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 19.
The contest is taking place at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
North Dakota State vs. Michigan State Prediction
I predict Michigan State will win but North Dakota State will cover the 16.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 143.5 total points.
North Dakota State, which is in the top 25 in the country with a plus-11 scoring margin, is on a roll right now and has some solid players. Damari Wheeler-Thomas (14.4 points per game), Trevian Carson (12 PPG), Markhi Strickland (11.8 PPG), and Treyson Anderson (10.4 PPG) are averaging double-digit points this season and could impact this game.
But I expect Michigan State will find a way to ultimately hold on and win.
The Spartans are led by Jeremy Fears Jr. (15.7 PPG), Jaxon Kohler (12.7 PPG), Coen Carr (11.6 PPG), and Carson Cooper (10.8 PPG). They’re third in the nation with a plus-11 rebounding margin and are top 50 in scoring defense (68.84 PPG allowed) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.61).
They play solid defense and usually take care of the ball. As long as the Spartans continue to do that, I think they can survive the first round – but I don’t have much faith in them beyond that.
