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The No. 7 Michigan State Spartans (19-12) and the No. 10 USC Trojans (22-10) square off on Friday to compete for a place in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The opening round matchup begins at 12:15 PM.
The Spartans are currently slight 2-point favorites against the Trojans. The game’s over/under is 137.
Michigan State vs. USC Odds
Point Spread for Michigan State vs. USC
The spread for this matchup is set at 2 points, with sportsbooks listing Michigan State as the favorite.
Michigan State vs. USC Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Michigan State has -142 odds to pick up the win, while USC is listed at +121 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 137 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Friday, March 17, 2023
- Game Time: 12:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: CBS
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
- Arena: Nationwide Arena
Michigan State vs. USC Betting Trends
Michigan State has 15 wins against the spread in 31 games this year. The Spartans have been favorites in 20 games this season and have come away with the win 16 times (80%) in those contests. Michigan State’s games this year have hit the over on 16 of 32 set point totals.
USC is 17-15-0 against the spread this year. The Trojans have been the underdog on the moneyline 12 total times this season. They’ve finished 5-7 in those games. USC’s games this season have eclipsed the over/under 53.1% of the time (17 out of 32 games with a set point total).
Michigan State vs. USC Key Players to Watch
Michigan State
A.J Hoggard puts up a team-high 6 assists per game. He is also posting 12.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, shooting 40.8% from the field. Joey Hauser puts up a team-best 6.9 rebounds per game. In addition, he’s posting 14.2 points and 1.9 assists, shooting 48.9% from the floor and 45.6% from downtown with 2.2 made 3-pointers per game. Tyson Walker puts up a team-high 14.6 points per contest. He is also averaging 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists, shooting 46% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game. Jaden puts up 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, shooting 41.8% from the field and 43.6% from downtown with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game.
USC
Drew Peterson is No. 1 on the Trojans in rebounding (6.2 per game) and assists (4.4), and produces 14 points. He also posts 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocked shots. Boogie Ellis is the Trojans’ top scorer (18 points per game) and assist man (3), and contributes 3.7 rebounds. Kobe Johnson gets the Trojans 9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He also posts 2.2 steals and 0.4 blocked shots. Tre White is averaging 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest, making 48% of his shots from the field.
What you need to know about the Michigan State Spartans
This year, the Spartans are putting up 70.2 points per game (209th-ranked in college basketball) and ceding 67.4 points per contest (100th-ranked). Michigan State is averaging 32 boards per game (163rd-ranked in college basketball). It is ceding 30.3 rebounds per contest (129th-ranked).
Michigan State is draining 7.5 treys per game this year (170th-ranked in college basketball), and it owns a 39.5% three-point percentage (second-best). This season, the Spartans are allowing 7 treys per game (155th-ranked in college basketball) and are allowing opponents to shoot 31.5% (53rd-ranked) from three-point land.
The Spartans are 4-6 against the spread and 5-5 overall over their last 10 games. In its past 10 games, Michigan State has gone over the total six times. In its last 10 games, Michigan State has been scoring 72.1 points per contest, an average that’s a little higher than the 70.2 it has scored over the course of the 2022-23 season. Michigan State has been more porous on the defensive side of the ball lately, allowing 71.1 points per game during its past 10 outings compared to the 67.4 points per game its opponents average on the 2022-23 season.
What you need to know about the USC Trojans
The Trojans score 72.8 points per game and allow 67.3, making them 152nd in college basketball on offense and 96th defensively. On the boards, USC is 150th in college basketball in rebounds (32.2 per game). It is 249th in rebounds conceded (32.1 per game).
USC is 279th in the country in 3-pointers made (6.5 per game) and 165th in 3-point percentage (34.5%). In 2022-23, the Trojans are 216th in college basketball in 3-pointers allowed (7.5 per game) and 150th in defensive 3-point percentage (33.4%).
The Trojans have a 4-6 record against the spread while finishing 6-4 overall over their past 10 games. In its past 10 contests, USC has gone over the total six times. In its last 10 games, USC is posting 74.7 points per game, 1.9 more than its season average (72.8). The Trojans are allowing 69.1 points per game in their previous 10 games, compared to their season average of 67.3 points allowed.
Michigan State vs. USC Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this game is Michigan State, and we predict that USC will cover the spread (Michigan State -2). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 137 points.
How to bet Michigan State vs. USC
You can bet on Michigan State vs. USC at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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