Michigan State vs. Kansas State Picks, Predictions, Odds

No one expected the Michigan State Spartans to be the only team carrying the Big Ten banner into the second week of the NCAA Tournament. However, Purdue was stunned by Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round, and the six other Big Ten teams in March Madness all stumbled in the first weekend.

Meanwhile, Tom Izzo proceeded to lead the Spartans to the Sweet 16 for the 15th time in his career with wins over USC and Marquette. Michigan State is now a short favorite over the Kansas State Wildcats by the CBB betting odds despite being a No. 7 seed, and the Spartans would love to make their ninth trip to the Final Four under Izzo.

Michigan State Spartans vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Prediction

It's hard to imagine this game being a blowout. Michigan State and Kansas State are pretty evenly matched, and both teams are coming off impressive performances in the second round.

Izzo is far more experienced than counterpart Jerome Tang though, so don't be surprised if that ends up being the difference here. He saw how Kentucky was able to use its length to contain Markquis Nowell in the first 10 minutes, and he will use that to formulate a game-plan that will limit Nowell enough to allow Michigan State to advance to the Elite Eight.

Best Bet: Michigan State -2
Score Prediction: Michigan State 69, Kansas State 65

Michigan State Spartans vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Odds

Michigan State Spartans vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Resources

Date: Thursday, Mar. 23, 2023
TV-Time: TBS, 6:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Location: New York, New York
Matchup
Expert Picks

Michigan State Spartans vs. Kansas State Wildcats Betting Stats

Michigan State Spartans
SU: 21-12
ATS: 17-16
O/U: 16-17
PPG: 70.2
OPPG: 67.0

Kansas State Wildcats
SU: 25-9
ATS: 22-12
O/U: 18-16
PPG: 75.5
OPPG: 68.9

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

Updated on 04/19/2024

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Michigan State Spartans Betting Analysis

The key to Michigan State's offense is its three-point shooting. The Spartans make 38.7% of their threes on the year, yet they were unable to convert from distance in their win over Marquette. They beat the Golden Eagles despite going just 2 of 16 from beyond the arc, so that has to give them a bit of confidence coming into this game.

Tyson Walker leads the Spartans with 14.8 PPG, and he is making 46.2% of his field goals and 40.7% of his three-point attempts. Joey Hauser is the second option for Michigan State with 14.3 PPG and a team-high 7.1 RPG.

Additionally, Hauser is knocking down 46.2% of his threes, and that ranks 12th in the nation among qualified leaders. Jaden Akins is averaging 9.6 PPG and is hitting 40.5% of his threes too, giving Michigan State three elite perimeter shooters. A.J. Hoggard is a superb distributor that is averaging 5.9 APG, but he isn't as efficient of a shooter as his backcourt mates.

Michigan State ranks 31st in adjusted defensive efficiency according to Ken Pomeroy. The Spartans are one of the worst teams when it comes to turning over opponents, but they forced 16 turnovers against a very good Marquette team last week.

Opponents are making just 31.9% of their threes against the Spartans, and Michigan State does a very good job on the glass to prevent extra chances. Mady Sissoko is strong on the glass, but he has to stay on the court since foul trouble is an issue with him.

Kansas State Wildcats Betting Analysis

Markquis Nowell has been great through Kansas State's first two games of the NCAA Tournament. The 5'8 guard has 44 points and 23 assists in leading the Wildcats to the Sweet 16, and he is averaging 17.1 PPG and 7.8 APG on the season. Nowell isn't a particularly effective shooter because of his size, but he does create a lot of offense and ranked second in the country in assists.

The top scorer for Kansas State is Keyontae Johnson. The Florida transfer probably needed a fresh start in the Little Apple, and he has made the most of the opportunity. Johnson is averaging 17.5 PPG and 7.0 RPG, but he wasn't much of a threat on the glass against Kentucky. He is making 51.5% of his field goals and 40.4% of his three-pointers this season.

Kansas State has a solid defense that ranks 17th according to Ken Pomeroy's metrics. The Wildcats are holding foes to just 29.7% shooting from beyond the arc, and they force a decent amount of turnovers. Nae'Qwan Tomlin has been a large reason for the team's success on defense, but his rebounding has left something to be desired for a 6'10 center.