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

The Michigan State Spartans and New Mexico Lobos will meet up on Sunday at 8:40 p.m. ET with a trip to the regional semifinals on the line.

What can we expect from this 2-versus-10 seed matchup?

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

Betting Picks for New Mexico vs. Michigan State

Michigan State -7.5 (-110)

Michigan State has been viewed as one of the weaker two seeds in this tournament, but the numbers are starting to speak for itself. MSU is seventh in KenPom's net ratings by way of a 24th-ranked adjusted offense and 5th-ranked adjusted defense. Across their last ten games, they check in with the third-best defense in the nation.

The Spartans hammered Bryant, 87-62, in the first round of the tourney. Now, they'll meet up with a 10 seed New Mexico team that just upset Marquette. However, I don't think New Mexico has the qualities to be a Cinderella story, allowing us to find value in Michigan State -7.5.

The Lobos fare 40th on KenPom with a somewhat uninspiring 74th-ranked adjusted offense. Worse, they rank just 62nd overall with a 138th standing on offense across their last 10 games.

New Mexico scores 54.5% of its points via two-pointers (87th percentile) and just 25.6% from three (12th percentile). That's bad news, as the Spartans force opponents into a high three-point volume but defend the arc really well, allowing the lowest three-point percentage in the country.

The Lobos have seen just one top-20 defense (St. John's) this season. That game resulted in a 14-point loss despite New Mexico catching fire (8 for 18) from downtown.

This is the matchup the Spartans were hoping to see in the second round. KenPom thinks they'll take care of business with an eight-point win.

Jase Richardson Over 16.5 Points (-110)

Few players are hotter than Jase Richardson right now.

Richardson is averaging 18.3 points across his last five and contributed at least 15 points in all of those games. He's gone 21 for 43 from downtown (48.8%) in his last nine games and is a team-best 42.6% three-point shooter on the season. That sets him up for a busy Sunday against New Mexico's so-so perimeter defense.

The Lobos rank in the 9th percentile in three-point volume but the 47th percentile in three-point rate allowed. Despite falling short in the game, Marquette was able to take advantage of that last night, shooting 30 threes to New Mexico's 14. Look for Michigan State to expose the same gap and feed the hot hand, who drilled three of his four three-point attempts against Bryant.

It certainly doesn't hurt that New Mexico ranks fourth in the nation in adjusted tempo, which has left the Spartans with a 78.5 implied team total.

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Which bets stand out to you for today's 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.