- Matchup: Michigan State Spartans vs UConn Huskies
- Scheduled Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
- Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
- Broadcast: CBS
- Betting Odds/Point Spread: Michigan State (+2)
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The Michigan State Spartans (27-7) will face off against the UConn Huskies (30-5) at Capital One Arena this Friday in the Sweet 16. The Spartans enter the matchup as 2-point underdogs according to bookmakers, with the total set at 137 points.
In their previous game, the Spartans secured a victory against Louisville, finishing 77-69. Michigan State achieved an impressive field goal percentage of 47.3%, sinking 26 of 55 shots and hitting 11 of 26 three-point attempts. At the free-throw line, they converted 14 out of 19 shots, resulting in a solid 73.7% success rate. On the boards, the Spartans collected a total of 34 rebounds, with 8 being offensive. They also dished out 22 assists, while committing 10 turnovers and earning 4 steals. Defensively, Michigan State allowed Louisville to shoot 41.3% from the floor, permitting 26 of 63 shots. Louisville registered 16 assists and 5 steals, along with securing 29 rebounds (10 offensive and 19 defensive), without any blocks. Louisville struggled at the line, converting only 4 of their 6 attempts (66.7%) and made 13 of their 37 three-point shots.
Coen Carr played a significant role, finishing the match with 21 points on 8 of 13 shooting over 33 minutes. He also grabbed 10 rebounds while shooting 61.5% overall, though he recorded no assists.
Entering this matchup, Michigan State holds a season record of 27-7, averaging 79.3 points per game, ranking 97th in Division I. They boast a field goal percentage of 47.4%. From beyond the arc, the Spartans connect on 36.5% of their attempts (266 out of 728) and are making 76.5% of their free throws. On average, Michigan State captures 39.7 rebounds per game, and their 639 assists this season rank them 8th in the nation for ball movement. They commit an average of 11.6 turnovers and 16.1 fouls each game.
Defensively, the Spartans generate an average of 10.0 turnovers each game, while accruing 18.7 fouls. They restrict opponents to 32.7% shooting from the three-point range and rank 43rd in Division I for points allowed (68.4). Opponents have shot 41.1% (797 of 1,938) against them, while Michigan State permits 28.2 boards per game, landing them 217th nationally in assists allowed, with 450 delivered throughout the season.
In their previous match, the UConn Huskies triumphed over UCLA, finishing 73-57. They gathered a total of 34 rebounds (24 defensive and 10 offensive) and committed 15 turnovers while earning 7 steals. UCLA’s 16 personal fouls allowed the Huskies to shoot 21 free throws, converting 19 for an outstanding 90.5% success rate. From beyond the arc, UConn made 8 of their 24 attempts, achieving 33.3%. Overall, the Huskies shot 46.9% from the field, making 23 of 49 shots. UCLA managed to shoot 38.8% against them, connecting on 19 of 49 attempts. UConn also permitted 23 rebounds, with 7 being offensive.
Alex Karaban had a standout performance for the Huskies, scoring 27 points in 36 minutes and contributing 1 assist. He finished the game with a field goal percentage of 56.3%, hitting 9 of 16 shots, and recorded 5 rebounds.
UConn currently boasts a record of 30-5 this season. They commit an average of 18.0 fouls per game and maintain a free throw percentage of 71.6%. The Huskies dish out 18.5 assists per contest (9th best nationally) while averaging 11.1 turnovers. They have scored a total of 2,717 points this season (77.6 per game) and gather an average of 36.8 rebounds per match. Offensively, UConn shoots 48.3% from the field, ranking 33rd in the nation.
The defensive statistics for UConn indicate that they allow a 30.5% success rate from beyond the arc (211 of 691) and opponents convert 72.1% of free throw attempts against them. Their defense averages 10.7 assists and 30.7 rebounds surrendered per game, ranking 13th and 18th, respectively. UConn is also 11th in the nation for points allowed per game at 65.3, forcing 12.0 turnovers on average and limiting opponents to a 40.3% field goal percentage (21st in the nation).
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Take Michigan State (+2)
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