2023 NCAA Tournament: Michigan State vs. USC prediction, odds, line, spread picks for Friday's game from proven model
The SportsLine projection model has released its selections for Friday's first round game between the Spartans and Trojans
Friday's action in the 2023 NCAA Tournament tips off when the Michigan State Spartans and USC Trojans square off in the first game of the day - an East Region first round game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan State (19-12) is coming off a loss to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Meanwhile the Trojans (22-10) enter Friday's game off a loss to Arizona State in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament.
Tip-off 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 or NCAA Tournament predictions, you need to check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. (See up-to-date odds for every game this week on our college basketball odds page.)
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Div. 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.
The model knows that Michigan State is highly efficient from beyond the 3-point arc. The Spartans shoot 39.5% on 3-pointers, which leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the country. Over the last 10 games, Michigan State is shooting 43.5% on 3-pointers.
But the model also has taken into account that USC does an excellent job at guarding 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.
For Friday, the model has set its sights on the NCAA Tournament and Michigan State vs. USC. We can tell you the model is leaning Over on the point total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You ABSOLUTELY need to see the model before locking in any college basketball picks.
Who wins Michigan State vs. USC? And which side of the spread covers almost 60% of the time? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the USC vs. Michigan State spread you should be all over Friday, all from the model on a roll on college basketball picks!