Michigan State vs Marquette Prediction & Picks (March Madness 2023 Second Round)

With only two of eight teams still standing, it looks like the Big Ten could be headed for another disappointing March. But Michigan State (20-12) can notch a big win for the conference if they can pull off a second-round upset of Marquette (29-6) today in Columbus, Ohio (5:15 pm ET, CBS).

Five of eight Big Ten teams in the Big Dance advanced to the second round, including the Spartans, the #7 seed in the East Regional.

But after losses by Maryland, Northwestern, and Penn State, only Michigan State and Indiana are still alive entering today.

The Hoosiers have a Midwest Regional matchup against ACC regular season champs Miami to look ahead to (8:40 pm ET, TNT), while the Spartans have the task of trying to eliminate the Big East's regular season and tournament champs, who are on a ten-game win streak.

Can they get past the second-seeded Golden Eagles, or will Shaka Smart's squad move on to a Sweet Sixteen showdown with Kansas or Kentucky? Read on for our Michigan State vs Marquette prediction and picks.

Looking for More March Madness Picks?

We will have March Madness predictions and picks for a number of games throughout the men's and women's tournaments, so keep an eye out for them.

• Pittsburgh vs Xavier Prediction & Picks
• Kentucky vs Kent State Prediction & Picks

And if you are interested in checking out picks for the games we don't cover, there are a number of reputable sports handicapping services that we recommend.

One of those sources is Doc's Sports, which has a great offer going right now.

Doc's Sports offers a lot of free picks and content, but they also offer $60 worth of premium sports picks free for new premium signups.

Michigan State vs Marquette Odds

Odds are via BetOnline as of Sunday, March 19, 2023.

Spread

• Michigan State +2.5 (-102)
• Marquette -2.5 (-120)

Over/Under

• Over 138.5 (-115)
• Under 138.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Michigan State +126
• Marquette -152

Can Defense Be Decisive for Michigan State?

In the first round against #10 seed USC, the Spartans put in a solid performance on both ends of the court in a 72-62 win.

Offensively, they shot 48.1% from the field, their seventh-highest percentage of the season.

Defensively, they held the Trojans to just 41.4% shooting, their best showing in their last seven games.

USC star Boogie Ellis, who entered the NCAA Tournament averaging 18.0 PPG, scored only six points (3 of 12 FG, 0 of 3 3PT) in the game. He didn't attempt a free throw, and he also committed three turnovers, which he hadn't done in the previous nine games.

Today brings an even stiffer challenge. Marquette is sixth in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, third in two-point shooting (58.6%), and tenth in field-goal percentage (48.8%).

The Golden Eagles have scored 70 or more points in 29 of 35 games this season, and in those games, they are 24-5 SU and 19-10-0 ATS.

Since an 87-72 loss at UConn on February 7, Marquette is 8-0 SU and 5-3-0 ATS when scoring 70+ points. That includes Friday's 78-61 win over Vermont, in which they covered as a 10-point favorite.

That may be a magic number for Marquette, but it certainly isn't for Michigan State from a defensive standpoint.

This season, the Spartans are 5-8 SU and 2-11-0 ATS when allowing 70 or more points. For a team that has scored 70 or more points in fewer than half of its games (just 15 of 32), that means there is a lot of pressure on MSU to put in a standout effort defensively against Marquette.

Michigan State vs Marquette Prediction and Picks

Prediction for Michigan State vs Marquette: Marquette to win

Picks for Michigan State vs Marquette: Marquette -2.5 (Best Value: BetUS) & Marquette team total over (Best Value: over 70.5 @ BetOnline)

Tom Izzo has been a part of a lot of March Madness magic over the years, and I'm certainly not discounting Michigan State's chance to make the Sweet Sixteen for only the second time since 2015.

But I really like this Marquette team, and they are going to be tough for anyone to stop in this tournament, including Michigan State.

I think the Spartans can keep it close all the way, but I'm backing the Golden Eagles to move on to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2013.

Where to Bet on Michigan State vs Marquette

Here are four legal sports betting sites that we highly recommend and have reviewed, where you can bet on this year's NCAA men's and women's tournaments, as well as the 2023 NIT.

March is always a very popular time to bet on college basketball, and you can get in on the action at any of the top sports betting sites out there.

But these four books are all reputable names, and you can trust them with your betting funds.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you'd like to check out our other March Madness betting content, here's a rundown of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting.

We're also doing a lot of NIT coverage, so check out that content as well.

• Men's March Madness Bracket
• March Madness Odds
• Women's March Madness Bracket & Odds
• Final Four Odds
• March Madness Sleepers
• March Madness Betting Trends & Stats to Know for 2023
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites
• Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge! – CLOSED but you can look at the standings and entries)