Michigan State vs Mississippi State Prediction, Picks, Odds | NCAA Tournament First Round Bets

Michigan State vs Mississippi State Prediction, Picks, Odds | NCAA Tournament First Round Bets

The First Round of NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament kicks off on Thursday, March 21 -- and the first matchup on the slate is Michigan State vs Mississippi State, which is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS.

The Spartans are listed as short 1.5-point favorites on the spread in Thursday's contest; with the game total stationed around over/under 130.5 at most sportsbooks.

Here's everything you need to know about Michigan State vs Mississippi State — our expert prediction and betting picks for this First Round NCAA Tournament matchup.

Michigan State vs Mississippi State Odds

MSU @ MSSTATE Odds

Michigan State vs Mississippi State Prediction

Mississippi State pulled out some big wins this season, including beating SEC champion Tennessee twice and Auburn.

The Bulldogs are short underdogs in the tournament opener against Michigan State, who lost five of their last seven games.

The Spartans are no stranger to the NCAA Tournament under Tom Izzo and have won nine of their last 10 first round games (not including First Four).

The Bulldogs allowed SEC opponents to shoot nearly 54% on its 2-point attempts, which ranked worst in conference action.

This number has dropped in Mississippi State's favor, but the Bulldogs were 1-7 straight-up in the final eight games as an underdog away from Starkville.

Pick: Michigan State -1 (-110)

Michigan State vs Mississippi State Game Time & TV Channel

Date: Thursday, March 21
Matchup: Big Ten vs SEC
Venue: Spectrum Center
Location: Charlotte, NC
Time-TV: CBS, 12:15 p.m. ET

Michigan State vs Mississippi State Betting Stats

9) Michigan State Spartans
(Big Ten, At-Large)

  • Futures: +10000
  • Region: +1100
  • SU: 19-14
  • ATS: 18-14-1
  • O/U: 14-19
  • PPG: 73.4
  • OPPG: 65.9

8) Mississippi State Bulldogs
(SEC, At-Large)

  • Futures: +10000
  • Region: +2200
  • SU: 21-13
  • ATS: 17-16-1
  • O/U: 16-18
  • PPG: 75.3
  • OPPG: 69.6

March Madness Betting Resources

March Madness First Round Odds

The NCAA Men's Tournament First Round will take place on Thursday March 21, 2024 and Friday March 22, 2024.

Check out the Teams, Odds, Betting Stats and much more on each of the four regions below: