2022 NCAA Tournament First Round: No. 7 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 10 Davidson Wildcats
How to Watch:
- Date: Friday, March 18
- Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
- Location: Bon Secours Wellness Center in Greenville, SC
- TV: CBS
- Live Stream: NCAA.com
Tale of the Tape:
| No. 7 MSU | STAT | No. 10 DAV |
| Big Ten | Conference | Atlantic 10 |
| 22-12 | Record | 27-7 |
| 72.1 (160th) | Points Per Game | 75.6 (65th) |
| 68.4 | Points Allowed Per Game | 65.8 |
| 0.5948 (32nd) | RPI | 0.5935 (34th) |
| 11th | Strength of Schedule | 119th |
| At-Large Bid | Bid | At-Large Bid |
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Michigan State leaders:
- Gabe Brown, F, SR: 11.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 37.3% 3PT
- Max Christie, G, FR: 9.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.5 APG
Davidson leaders:
- Foster Loyer, G, JR: 16.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 44.5% 3PT
- Luka Brajkovic, F, SR: 14.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 BPG, 40.7% 3PT
Odds, Lines, and Past Performance:
- MSU Moneyline: -115
- DAV Moneyline: -105
- Spread: MSU -1
- Over/Under: 141
- ATS Record: MSU 18-15-1, DAV 20-12
- Over/Under Record: MSU 18-15-1, DAV 18-14
Odds courtesy of Draftkings. For the latest odds, click here.
The Pick:
- This is as evenly matched a first-round game as you’re going to see. The Spartans rank 39th in KenPom rankings with the Wildcats right behind them at 40th. However, the Spartans are the more well-rounded team both offensive and defensive units ranked inside the top 53 but the Wildcats’ defense coming in ranked 147th.
- The Wildcats also operate at a much slower pace, coming in with the 304th adjusted tempo and the Spartans at 141st. Still, these are two efficient offensive units, which is why both teams have hit the over more often than not this season.
- We all know Tom Izzo and March, and this Spartans team has big wins against Wisconsin, Purdue, and UCONN this year, but the Wildcats have their own history of NCAA tournament success and beat Alabama earlier this year.
- A key determining factor could be ball control. The Wildcats rank 11th in the country, turning the ball over only 9.8 times per game. Meanwhile, the Spartans turn it over 13.1 times per game. With starting guard Tyson Walker also playing banged up with an ankle injury, the Spartans will need their other guards to step up to ensure they can run the offense efficiently and keep possession of the ball.
- If this comes down to free-throws, both teams shoot it well with Davidson ranking 42nd and Michigan State not far behind at 86th.
