Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Friday night’s Sweet 16 action starts with an SEC vs. Big Ten battle between 6-seed Ole Miss and 2-seed Michigan State in the South Region.The Spartans are favored by less than 4 points over coach Chris Beard’s Ole Miss squad, which was dominant in wins over 11-seed North Carolina and 3-seed Iowa State last weekend (especially the latter).Tom Izzo’s Big Ten regular season champs took down 15-seed Bryant 87-62 in the first round, then survived a tough battle with 10-seed New Mexico, 71-63, in last Sunday’s round of 32 matchup.
How to Watch Ole Miss vs. Michigan StateTipoff: 7:09 p.m. ET, FridayChannel: CBSOle Miss-Mich. State Odds: Spread, ML, TotalDKFDbet365MISS spread+3.5 (-105)+3.5 (-108)+3.5 (-110)MSU spread-3.5 (-115)-3.5 (-113)-3.5 (-110)MISS ML+150+134+145MSU ML-180-162-170Total143.5 (o-108; u-112)143.5 (o-110; u-110)143.5 (o-110; u-110)Best Player Prop Bet for Miss. vs. Mich. StateMSU G Jase Richardson o14.5 points (-114 at FanDuel) — 0.5 unitsScoring-wise, these are two of the most balanced teams in the nation. That makes it hard to pinpoint the best points props in this matchup.But while there aren’t necessarily any slam-dunk options, we do like star freshman Jase Richardson’s chances of bouncing back from one of his worst games in the season in Michigan State’s win over New Mexico last Sunday.Richardson, the son of former MSU and NBA star Jason Richardson (ICYMI), shot just for 1-for-10 vs. the Lobos. He had scored at least 15 points in seven of his last eight games coming into that off night vs. New Mexico, though.Expect Richardson to get back on track with a solid scoring night or, at minimum, a few made 3-pointers. He was easily his team’s best long-range shooter this year at over 40 percent shooting on 3.1 3PA per game, and he was 10-for-16 from downtown in four postseason games this year before going 0-for-5 vs. New Mexico.Remember, Richardson made at least two triples in six straight games from March 2-21, and he shot 17-of-33 from beyond the arc over that stretch.There’s more, though. Richardson came off the bench for the first 21 games of the year before making his first start on February 8 vs. Oregon. He exploded for 29 points in that one.Including that outburst vs. the Ducks, Richardson has made at least two 3-pointers in nine of his 13 starts this year (with three made treys on five occasions).With that in mind, also consider:Richardson o1.5 made threes (+105 at bet365) — 1 unitRichardson three made 3-pointers (+350 at bet365) — 0.25 unitsOle Miss vs. Mich. State Prediction, Best BetsOle Miss played nine games against teams that made this year’s Sweet 16. While it went 0-3 against Auburn (1) and lost to both Purdue (4) and Florida (1), it beat BYU (6), Alabama (2), Kentucky (3) and Tennessee (2).That track record against the best teams in the nation is good reason to like the Rebels to pull the upset tonight. Speaking of strength of schedule, it’s worth noting that Ole Miss ranked No. 6 in the nation in this metric, according to KenPom, while Michigan State was No. 29.Last weekend, the Rebels blitzed both 11-seed UNC and 3-seed Iowa State, building a 44-26 halftime lead on the Tar Heels and a 40-29 cushion at the break vs. the Cyclones. While UNC rallied to make it close down the stretch in the first round, the beatdown of ISU was one-sided from start to finish.With that in mind, the real question here is whether to take the Rebels on the spread or the moneyline.Michigan State is as athletic as any team in the country, and the Spartans have an impressive resume highlighted by their 17-3 record in the Big Ten. Still, it’s hard to see MSU bullying a deep, Chris Beard-coached squad like Ole Miss, which has already had six players reach double-figures scoring in this tournament.The Under and Ole Miss to cover feel like the safest plays in this game.As for who will advance, I’ve talked myself into Ole Miss pulling off yet another upset. The Rebels are well worth a sprinkle on the moneyline at +150.Ole Miss vs. Michigan State Best BetsOle Miss +3.5 (-105 at DraftKings) — 1 unitUnder 143.5 (-110 at FD) — 0.5 unitsOle Miss ML (+150 at DK) — 0.5 unitsNewsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator’s terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
