NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Michigan State vs. Ole Miss Odds, Best Bets

The Sweet Sixteen continues on Friday night with action in the South and Midwest regions. The first game of the evening is a South Region showdown between the second-seeded Michigan State Spartans from the Big Ten and the sixth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels from the Southeastern Conference. Ole Miss has been nearly as impressive as any team in the field through two rounds. The Rebels hammered North Carolina in the first half before letting them back into the game, winning comfortably by seven points, and then dominating the Iowa State Cyclones to advance to the Sweet 16. Michigan State started slowly before rolling over Bryant and then pulling away late to survive New Mexico by eight points. This is one of three Big Ten versus SEC matchups in the Sweet 16. 

SportsGrid has a few best bets to get ready for this outstanding matchup in Atlanta.

Michigan State vs Ole Miss

• Arena: State Farm Arena
• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Where to Watch: CBS
• Time: 7:09 p.m. ET
• Spread: MSU -3.5 | Total: 143.5
• Moneyline: MSU -178 | Ole Miss +146

Please be aware that betting odds may change after the publication of this article.

Michigan State vs Ole Miss Best Bet: Michigan State -3.5

The SportsGrid model loves the Michigan State Spartans in this matchup and is projecting them to easily handle Ole Miss, winning by a surprising 15 points. The Spartans are one of the hottest teams in the country and come into this contest as winners of ten of their past 11 games. The lone defeat came by three points in the Big Ten Tournament against Wisconsin, and MSU has not lost a game by double-digits all season. Ole Miss can play great ball for stretches, but has suffered from lapses and is not far removed from losing five out of eight games. MSU’s defense will cause problems for the Rebels, leading the Spartans to cover the small spread.

Michigan State vs Ole Miss Best Total Bet: OVER 142.5

Michigan State and Ole Miss are led by balanced attacks, with the Rebels having six players averaging more than ten points per game and the Spartans with seven players averaging at least seven points per game. The head coaches preach toughness and expect to get it from their teams. This should be a physical game, but the number has dropped to 142.5, and the over represents value as SportsGrid expects this game to reach 145 and go slightly over the posted total.

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Michigan State Best Player Bet: Coen Carr OVER 7.5 Points

Ole Miss will have the overall athletic advantage in this game, but Michigan State forward Coen Carr will be the best athlete on the floor. The sophomore is averaging only 20 minutes per game on the season, but his playing time has increased over the past month, and his athleticism and ability to attack the rim will be needed against Ole Miss. This type of game should favor Carr and his ability to finish at the basket and capitalize on fast breaks and runouts in transition.

Ole Miss Best Player Bet: Sean Pedulla UNDER 15.5 Points

Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches in the country, and his teams generally do a nice job of making the opposition uncomfortable on the perimeter. The pressure defense from MSU’s guards and players like Coen Carr will make life difficult for Ole Miss’ top option on offense, Sean Pedulla. Pedulla is a talented player, but he’s not particularly efficient (43% field goal shooter) and turns it over two times per game, something the Spartans will exacerbate. Given the belief that Michigan State will cover the spread, Pedulla going under his 15.5 posted total makes perfect sense.

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