The Big Ten meets the Pac-12 when the Michigan State Spartans and USC Trojans collide on Friday in a first round NCAA Tournament game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Spartans (19-12) are playing in their 25th straight NCAA Tournament, the longest streak in Big Ten history. The streak is also the third longest in NCAA history and the second longest active streak, behind only Kansas (33). Meanwhile the Trojans (22-10) are playing in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. They were knocked out in the first round last season by Miami.
Tipoff is set for 12:15 p.m. ET. The Spartans are favored by 2.5 points in the latest Michigan State vs. USC odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 137. Before making any USC vs. Michigan State picks, you need to check out the college basketball predictions and March Madness betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the 2023 NCAA Tournament 79-53 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,300 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on the NCAA Tournament and Michigan State vs. USC and just locked in its picks and March Madness predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for USC vs. Michigan State:
- Michigan State vs. USC spread: Spartans -2.5
- Michigan State vs. USC over/under: 137 points
- Michigan State vs. USC money line: Spartans -150, Trojans +130
- MSU: The Spartans rank fourth in the country in 3-point percentage (39.5)
- USC: The Trojans are seventh in the field goal percentage defense (39.0)
- Michigan State vs. USC picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Michigan State can cover
Coach Tom Izzo is a wizard in March. The 68-year-old Izzo is 53-23 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. His 69.7% winning percentage ranks third among active coaches, behind only Bill Self (72.4) and John Calipari (72.3).
In addition, Michigan State faces a USC team that does not apply tough defensive pressure. The Trojans force just 9.7 turnovers per game, which ranks 345th in the country. They also get just 4.6 steals per game, which is 339th in the nation.
Why USC can cover
USC does an excellent job at affecting shooters. The Trojans allow opponents to shoot just 39.0% from the field, which leads the Pac-12 and ranks seventh in the country. They also block 5.2 shots per game, which is the most in the conference and 10th best in the nation.
USC has a do-it-all guard in Drew Peterson. A 6-foot-9 fifth year senior, Peterson averages 14.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He is one of two players in a Power 6 conference averaging at least 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game this season.
How to make Michigan State vs. USC picks
We can tell you that the model is leaning Over on the point total, predicting a combined 139 points, and it also has generated an against the spread pick that cashes in almost 60% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins USC vs. Michigan State? And which side of the spread can you bank on in almost 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Michigan State vs. USC spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned nearly $1,300 on its college basketball picks, and find out.
