March Madness 2023 picks: Michigan State-USC prediction in First Round of NCAA Tournament

The No. 7 Michigan State Spartans (19-12, 11-8 Big Ten) and No. 10 USC Trojans (22-10, 14-6 Pac-12) will start their NCAA Tournament play on Friday afternoon. The game is set to take place at 12:15 p.m. ET from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and can be seen on CBS.

Let's take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 USC picks

Spread: Michigan State -2
Over/Under: 136.5
Moneyline: Michigan State -135, USC +115

Michigan State finished fourth in the Big Ten regular season standings and lost in the conference tournament quarterfinal round. Joey Hauser scored 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game this season to lead the Spartans. USC finished in a tie for second place in the Pac-12 and was also defeated in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament. Boogie Ellis leads the team with 18 points per game.

These are two very even teams in terms of KenPom adjusted efficiency on both ends of the floor, but the pace in this contest leads me to think the under is the strongest play in this spot. The Spartans rate 304th in adjusted tempo, while the Trojans are 141st in that category. The limited possessions will keep this total below the number.

Pick: Under 136.5

  
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