USC vs. Michigan State Prediction & Odds
Number ten seed USC and #7 seed Michigan State head to Columbus to face each other at 12:15 PM ET Friday afternoon on CBS in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Can the Spartans cover the 1.5-point spread as neutral-site favorites?
USC is 22-10 on the year with their best wins coming over Auburn and UCLA. Their worst losses came against Wisconsin and Oregon State. The Trojans are 17-15 against the spread this season.
Michigan State is 19-12 this season with their best wins coming over Kentucky and Indiana. Their worst losses came against Notre Dame and Ohio State. The Spartans are 15-16 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
783 USC Trojans (+1.5) vs. 784 Michigan State Spartans (-1.5); O/U 137.5
12:15 PM ET, Friday, March 17, 2023
Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
USC vs. Michigan State Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Spartans in this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 61% of public bets are on Michigan State -1.5. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
USC Game Notes
USC guard Drew Peterson is listed as probable for Friday’s clash with Michigan State. He’d been dealing with an undisclosed injury. Peterson is one of USC’s best players as he ranks second on the club in scoring with 14 points per game.
USC forward Vincent Iwuchukwu is dealing with a back injury, and he’s officially listed as questionable for Friday’s game. Iwuchukwu is averaging 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 13.8 minutes per contest for the Trojans this season.
Michigan State Game Notes
The Spartans’ leading scorer is senior guard Tyson Walker. The 6’1” Westbury, New York native is scoring 14.6 points per game while shooting an excellent 42.3% from beyond the arc this season. He is one of three Michigan State players to average over 10 points per game on the year.
Michigan State’s best shooter is senior forward Joey Hauser. The Marquette transfer is second on the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game and leads the club in three-pointers with 68 this season. Hauser is shooting a scorching 45.6% from deep on 4.8 three-point attempts per game this season. His shooting could factor heavily into the outcome of this game Friday.
USC vs. Michigan State CBB Betting Trends
USC is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against a team with a winning straight-up record.
USC is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss.
USC is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
Michigan State is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following an outright loss.
USC vs. Michigan State CBB Prediction:
The story of this game will be three-point shooting. Michigan State ranks 4th in the country in three-point shooting percentage as they shoot 39.5% as a team from beyond the arc. The Spartans have four players that play more than 20 minutes per game that shoot better than 38% from three-point range.
This is a problem for USC. The Trojans rank 136th in the country in opponent three-point shooting percentage. Teams shoot 33.4% from three-point range on average against USC. I think the Spartans easily eclipse that mark on Friday by using ball movement to create open three-point shots. I think Michigan State makes enough treys to win this game by more than a possession.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS -1.5
