#3 Michigan State vs. #2 UConn Picks and Predictions: Sweet 16
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Thu Mar 26, 2026, 9:15 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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Two of the best active coaches in all of college basketball go head to head in America's Capital on Friday in the Sweet 16. Dan Hurley leads the No. 2 UConn Huskies against Tom Izzo and the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans. We are in for a treat as these two go at it in Washington D.C. Can the Huskies keep their quest for a third title in four years alive? Or will the Spartans head back to the Elite Eight for the second straight year? Find out with our CBB expert picks below.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Best Bet: Michigan State/UConn 1H Under 62 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#3 Michigan State Spartans vs. #2 UConn Huskies NCAA Basketball Insights
Can Solo Ball lead the Huskies past the Spartans and into the Elite Eight?
Part of me wanted to just sit back and watch this game as a fan. Seeing these two go back and forth will be like watching Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel. Hurley and Izzo are two of the most passionate coaches in the country, and are phenomenal at making on the fly adjustments in order to give their team a better chance at winning the game. Get your popcorn ready, you'll need it.
But what gives the Spartans the slight advantage in my eyes, is playing in the Big Ten. They are MUCH more battle tested than the Huskies, having played a top 20 schedule while UConn is outside the top 35. Sure, they have faced tough teams, including St. John's, Illinois and Arizona, who are all still in the tournament. But can Sparty exploit their weaknesses and disrupt a potential all Big East Elite Eight in D.C.?
Matchup Information – Michigan State vs. UConn – March 27
- Venue & Location: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)
- Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
- Tip Off: 9:45 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: CBS
Michigan State vs. UConn Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 26, 2026 at 8:24 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Michigan State +2 (-111)
- UConn -2 (-111)
Moneyline
- Michigan State +110
- UConn -133
Total
- Over 134.5 (-112)
- Under 134.5 (-108)
#3 Michigan State vs. #2 UConn NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Jaxon Kohler and Michigan State take on Dan Hurley and the Huskies in the Sweet 16
Michigan State vs. UConn Prediction: Michigan State Wins Outright, Under 134.5
Best Bet: Michigan State/UConn 1H Under 62 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Get in, and get out. Both teams are playing in an unfamiliar gym, which will make it harder to knock down outside shots. Plus, neither shoots that well from beyond the arc anyways. UConn has over 60% of their offensive shots come from the two point range, where they shoot 57.5% as a team. However the Spartans are in the top 50 in terms of 2P% defense. They also hit the glass hard, so UConn won't be able to get any easy put backs.
As for Michigan State, they have over 64% of their offensive come from inside the arc. But UConn is top 12 in the nation at defending mid and close range shots. Both will have trouble scoring inside, and I don't expect them to start off hot from downtown either. These teams prefer to play slow, and given both are great defensively, I see this first 20 minutes resulting in minimal points from either side.
UConn also ranks No. 15 in the nation in points per first half allowed, holding teams to roughly 30 points per half. I don't see either team getting to that mark before the opening break.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
Also, through our streams and social media channels, you can get even more insight from Nate and other members of the Betting News team, as well as offer your own thoughts and tips for the tournament.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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