The No. 3 Michigan State Spartans (29-4) face off against the No. 14 Bucknell Bison (25-9) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Little Caesars Arena. The game begins at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday, March 16, 2018.
Bucknell Bison vs. Michigan State Spartans ATS Prediction
The Bison will be hoping for a similar result after thoroughly outplaying the Colgate Raiders in the , 83-54. Bucknell’s 0.625 effective field goal percentage was their largest advantage over Colgate, who had a mark of 0.385. The Bison’s mark was above their season average of 0.537, while the Raiders’ was below their season average of 0.527. Bucknell was led by Stephen Brown, who was the game’s leading scorer with 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting.
In the , the Spartans lost to the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines, 75-64. Getting to the charity stripe was one of Michigan’s biggest strengths. They had 33 free throw attempts, while Michigan State had just 10. With 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting, Miles Bridges was the top scorer from either team.
From an effective field goal percentage perspective, this will be a balanced matchup. The sharp-shooting Michigan State offense ranks ninth in the nation in that metric at 0.578, while the stingy Bucknell defense is ranked 42nd in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.476). It will also be a tale of two styles as the up-tempo Bison rank 41st in possessions per game, while the more methodical Spartans rank 253rd.
Both teams have had a player take their game to the next level over their last five games. Stephen Brown (18.4 points and 1.4 steals) has been stellar for the Bison while Cassius Winston (15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists) has contributed greatly to the Spartans.
Bucknell Bison vs. Michigan State Spartans Free Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Michigan State, ATS Winner – Michigan State, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Michigan State averages 40.8 rebounds per game, which ranks eighth in the nation. Bucknell ranks 175th in rebounds allowed per game (35.3).
The Bison rank 42nd in three pointers allowed per game (19.4) while the Spartans rank 158th (21.8).
Michigan State ranks first in blocks per game (7.4) while Bucknell ranks 109th in blocks allowed per game (3.2).
The Spartans rank first in assists per game (19.3) while the Bison rank 102nd (14.5).
Bucknell ranks 177th in steals per game (5.6) while Michigan State ranks 256th (4.1).
Bettings Trends:
The Bison’s average margin of victory in their last five games has been 21.6, up from 8.3 for the season.
During their last five games, the Spartans have scored an average of 68.2 points per game (12.8 below their season average) and allowed an average of 63.8 points per game (1.0 below their season average).
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