A Round of 32 victory over New Mexico has sent Michigan State to the Sweet 16. The Spartans now travel to Atlanta, where they take on sixth-seeded Ole Miss. Can legendary head coach Tom Izzo reach his ninth career Final Four? Let’s take a closer look at Michigan State’s March Madness futures on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Michigan State odds to reach the Final Four (+250)
As is almost always the case, Michigan State’s biggest strength is its defense. The Spartans are a physical, disciplined group that does all of the ‘little things’ exceptionally well. That includes hustling for loose balls, grabbing rebounds, and forcing turnovers. However, this is a team that often struggles to score. This season, MSU has shot just 31.0% from three-point range, the 33rd-worst mark in the nation.
Luckily for the Spartans, Jase Richardson, son of former pro Jason Richardson, has emerged as a go-to scorer. The freshman phenom has recorded at least 15 points in seven of his last nine outings. Impressively, the team defeated New Mexico despite Richardson scoring just six points; he should bounce back on Friday. The guard, along with senior Jaden Akins, has formed one of the nation’s most lethal back courts. There aren’t many offensive standouts on the rest of Michigan State’s roster, but they are deep. Eight different players average more than five points per game on this squad.
The depth and size at Izzo’s disposal should be enough to get the Spartans a win on Friday. Ole Miss ranks 315th in rebounds allowed per game (37.5). In contrast, Michigan State is second in the nation in rebounding percentage (56.7%). That level of dominance on the glass will be difficult for a smaller Rebels roster to overcome.
Assuming Michigan State moves on, it’ll take on either Auburn or Michigan. The former has looked vulnerable recently, dropping three of its last six games. During that time, the Tigers have lost to big, physical teams such as Texas A&M and Tennessee. The Spartans certainly fit the profile of a group that could pull off the upset. If the Wolverines reach the Elite 8 instead, the matchup should be much easier. MSU won both meetings with its rival by at least 13 points this season.
Overall top-seed Auburn is the clear favorite to win the South. However, the Tigers are the most vulnerable #1 in the NCAA Tournament right now. If anyone else can emerge from this region, it has to be Sparty. At more than two-to-one odds, this is a terrific value play for bettors.
Michigan State odds to win the national title (+2200)
If Michigan State reaches the Final Four, they’ll face the winner of the West region. Right now, it’s difficult to say who that will be, but there are only four potential opponents. #1 Florida looks like the biggest threat, having survived a scare from UConn on Sunday. The SEC champion Gators are a handful, wielding the nation’s deepest collection of scorers. Still, they’ll have to get through some combination of Maryland, Texas Tech and conference rival Arkansas.
MSU’s odds of bringing home a national title rise exponentially if Florida goes home before the Final Four. Still, given the fact that all number one seeds are still alive, there’s a good chance Sparty meets Duke or Houston in the title game. Keeping that in mind, I’d prefer to back Michigan State to reach the Final Four (+250) instead.
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
