Michigan State vs. Ole Miss will kick off Sweet 16 festivities on Friday night as the Spartans and Tom Izzo will get a matchup with Chris Beard and the Rebels in Atlanta.
The game will be closer to home for Ole Miss, but one Spartan is back in his old stomping grounds. Coen Carr returns home for the first time as a Spartan with this trip and that has to be a good feeling for him as he fielded about 100 ticket requests from family and friends for the game.
Carr is having a nice tournament so far and he could be a difference-maker in Friday night's game and if that's the case, I like Michigan State's chances.
But what does Vegas think about this matchup?
According to DraftKings, Michigan State is favored by a slim margin.
Line: Michigan State -3.5
Over/Under: 144.5
Moneyline: Michigan State -180 | Ole Miss +150
Michigan State has the slimmest spread of any favorite on Friday and it means that Vegas is expecting this to basically be a toss-up. It also means that Vegas doesn't truly believe in the Spartans being as good as they have been all season.
The Spartans are going to have to bring their A-game to beat a team like the Rebels in Atlanta, with likely a heavy Ole Miss crowd in attendance. I think Jase Richardson is going to have a huge game, leading all scorers with 25 points. The defense will lock down the 3-point line and hold Sean Pedulla in check.
Michigan State wins and covers, 80-70.