A first-round matchup in the 2024 NCAA Tournament has the No. 9 seed Michigan State Spartans and the No. 8 seed Mississippi State Bulldogs squaring off on Thursday. The Bulldogs have made the tournament 12 times in school history. On the other side, Michigan State has made the tournament 26 years in a row.
Tipoff from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte is set for 12:15 p.m. ET. The Spartans are 1-point favorites in the latest Michigan State vs. Mississippi State odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 130.5. Before making any Mississippi State vs. Michigan State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Michigan State vs. Mississippi State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Mississippi State vs. Michigan State:
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State spread: Spartans -1
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State over/under: 130.5 points
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State money line: Spartans -121, Bulldogs +100
MSU: Michigan State has hit the team total Under in 21 of their last 35 games
MSST: Mississippi State has hit the 1H game total Under in 18 of their last 30 games
Michigan State vs. Mississippi State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Michigan State can cover
Senior forward Malik Hall is an all-around player for the Spartans. Hall scores by attacking the basket while putting a lot of energy into defense and rebounding. The Illinois native averages 12.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. In his last matchup, Hall racked up 12 points, seven rebounds, and two steals.
Senior A.J. Hoggard is an aggressive and energetic guard in the backcourt. Hoggard excels at driving to the basket and plays feisty defense. The Pennsylvania native averages 11 points, three rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. On Mar. 14 against Minnesota, Hoggard finished with 17 points and six assists. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Mississippi State can cover
Freshman guard Josh Hubbard is a creative shot creator with a nice shooting touch on multiple spots on the court. The Mississippi native is putting up a team-best 17.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He’s scored 20-plus points in seven of his last eight games. In the second round of the SEC Tournament, Hubbard totaled 24 points and two assists.
Senior forward Tolu Smith provides the Bulldogs with a force in the frontcourt. Smith scores from the low post with ease and uses his size to create space for rebounds. The Mississippi native logs 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and shoots 56% from the field. In his last outing, Smith had 10 points and 10 rebounds. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Mississippi State vs. Michigan State picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 138 points. It also says one side of the spread nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.