Kansas Must Beat Michigan State to Reach Sweet 16

On Sunday, two college basketball programs that have been successful for decades, meet in the second round of the NCAA Tournament when the No. 9 seeded Michigan State Spartans play the No. 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks.

The current line has Kansas favored by 8 points with the over/under total on 147.5. In its past 10 games played, Michigan State is 6-4 straight up and 7-3 against the spread, while Kansas is 9-1 SU and 5-4 ATS.

Michigan State routed the No. 8 seeded Miami Hurricanes by 20 points in its first round game, while Kansas cruised by No. 16 seed UC Davis 100-62. The last time Kansas played Michigan State was in 2015 and the Spartans won by 6 points.

Michigan on Friday used a 21-4 run during the first half to pull away from Miami and not look back. Nick Ward scored 19 points and has averaged 17.7 the past seven games for Michigan State.

Miles Bridges leads the Spartans in scoring and scored 18 for the team in the first round, while grabbing 9 rebounds.

The Spartans are averaging 72 points per game on 47% shooting from the field. Defensively, Michigan State is allowing 68 points per game, which is No. 172 in the nation.

Kansas shot 56% on Friday from the field against UC Davis. Frank Mason III led the Jayhawks with 22 points. The guard is playing his best basketball of the season at just the right time for Kansas.

Mason has scored 20 or more points in seven of his past eight games and averages 20.8 points a game.

Josh Jackson returned after being suspended for one game scoring 17 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.

Kansas has one of the nation’s strongest offenses averaging 83.2 points a game, which is No. 15 in the country.

Defensively, the Jayhawks allow 72.1 points a game which is No. 176 in the country.

Michigan State is 1-4 ATS in its past 5 games as a dog of between 7 and 12 points.

Kansas is 4-1 ATS in its past 5 games versus a team with a record above .500.

Prediction: Kansas is playing well exception for its loss in the Big 12 season ending tournament and has much more talent this season than does Michigan State. Lean here toward Kansas covering.