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Michigan State vs. North Carolina 2024 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks: Round 2 (Saturday)

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The Madness continues this weekend, as we dive into Round 2 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Here’s a look at Saturday’s Round 2 March Madness matchup between Michigan State and North Carolina.

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Michigan State Spartans vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Game Info

Michigan State Spartans (20-14, 10-10 Big Ten) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (28-7, 17-3 ACC)

  • Date: Saturday, Mar. 23, 2023
  • Start Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Spectrum Center - Charlotte, NC
  • Coverage: CBS
  • Last Meeting: November 26, 2017 - Michigan State defeated North Carolina 63-45 in Portland.

Michigan State Spartans vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

  • Moneyline: MSU: (+154) | UNC: (-185)
  • Point Spread: MSU: +4 (-110) | UNC: -4 (-110)
  • Total: 139 - Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

Betting Trends

  • Michigan State 2023-34 Betting Trends: 19-14-1 ATS; 14-20 to the Over
  • UNC 2023-24 Betting Trends: 20-15 ATS; 17-17-1 to the Over
  • The Over is 4-1 in UNC’s last five games
  • Michigan State has covered three straight games, and its last two as underdogs
  • The Under is 7-2 in Michigan State’s last nine games

Overview

Michigan State and North Carolina are two of 15 teams that have won multiple NCAA Tournament championships, and are two of the top 23 winningest programs in college basketball. Neither team won their respective conference tournament, but they are both ranked inside KenPom’s top 16 heading into their second NCAA Tournament meeting of all-time.

Michigan State Spartans Betting Preview

Spartans head coach Tom Izzo continued his knack for leading his teams to victory in NCAA Tournament in games involving low point spreads. Michigan State beat Mississippi State 69-51 in a game it was a 1.5-point favorite, making the Spartans 19-9 SU and 18-10 ATS in Izzo’s career in tournament games with a spread of three or fewer points.

North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Preview

The Tar Heels not only earned a No. 1 seed, but were given geographical preference for their first two games in their backyard of Charlotte. UNC is now 35-2 SU when playing in the NCAA Tournament when playing in North Carolina, and is 24-10-1 ATS in North Carolina in the tournament since 1970.

Michigan State Spartans vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Pick and Prediction

At first glance, this looks like a curiously low point spread in a game involving a No. 1 vs. a No. 9 seed, but that is the respect that oddsmakers are giving Izzo in March. The Spartans have played three games against top-two seeds in the NCAA Tournament this season, and while they went 0-3 SU against Purdue and Arizona, all of those games were decided by six or fewer points. This North Carolina team is not as explosive offensively as it has been in the past, as it shoots 3-pointers at the 78th-best clip and rank 168th in 2-point shooting. Michigan State can make this game a grind, and has the physicality to bang down low with Armando Bacot. This game could come down to who gets hotter between two explosive guards in RJ Davis and Tyson Walker, and we expect a huge game from Walker, who has made three or more 3-pointers in three of the last four games. Michigan State is 11-7-1 ATS against ranked opponents and has covered three of its last four NCAA Tournament games since 2022, and if any team is mentally tough enough to overcome what should feel like a road atmosphere in Charlotte, its the Spartans.

Pick: Michigan State +4 (-110 at Caesars)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.

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