2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Michigan State vs. Auburn

Thus far in the tournament, Michigan State hasn't faced a team higher than the 6 seed or higher than 20th in KenPom's rankings.

That all changes Sunday as they square off with 1 seed Auburn to cut down the nets in the South Region.

Can Tom Izzo get the Spartans to yet another national semifinal, or does Auburn continue to flex its muscle?

We'll run through my read on this game below.

To see thoughts on other games, check out our full men's college basketball tournament predictions page. But for Michigan State vs. Auburn, here are my favorite bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds.

Betting Picks for Michigan State vs. Auburn

Michigan State +5.5 (-118)

I wasn't all that high on Michigan State entering the tournament. They were just 11th in our blended power ratings, making them over-seeded as a 2 seed.

This number is just big enough for me to buy in.

Even if their tourney path hasn't been the most difficult, Michigan State has held up well against stout opponents. Their lone loss across nine games against top-25 teams in KenPom's rankings was to Wisconsin in overtime during the Big Ten Tournament.

Granted, Auburn did dismiss Michigan -- one of those top-25 teams that Michigan State defeated twice -- rather easily in the Round of 16. They're no slouch. I just can't get to 5.5 given how well Michigan State has played when they have been tested.

Jase Richardson Under 15.5 Points (-114)

Jase Richardson has had some sweet games since his role expanded in mid-February, so it's a bit painful to plug an under here. It's just a tough stylistic mesh for him.

Richardson gets his scoring upside from beyond the arc. In three tourney games, 51.7% of his field-goal attempts have been threes. He hit 4 of 6 on Friday night as he put up 20 points.

Auburn, though, doesn't let up a lot of three-point attempts. They have just a 35.2% three-point attempt rate against, according to Bart Torvik, much better than the nation-wide average of 39.0%.

Richardson has shown he can generate points elsewhere as he has gotten to the free-throw line plenty of late. Still, 15.5 points is a lot against such a good defense, so I'm comfortable with the under even on a clearly talented player.

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Which bets stand out to you for the upcoming games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest men's college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.