New Mexico vs Michigan State Odds, Prediction and March Madness Picks March 23

Beating the college basketball odds for nearly three decades has led Tom Izzo to a Hall of Fame career, but his Michigan State Spartans aren’t going to be an underdog for a while in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The second-seeded Spartans square off with a first-round upset winner in the 10th-seeded New Mexico Lobos on Sunday in what seems like an easy win for Izzo’s crew.

But coach Richard Pitino (Rick’s son) is hoping to keep the Cinderella mantle for a little longer, and he has a solid scorer in guard Donovan Dent, who ranks eighth in the country at 20.6 points per game. Do Dent and the Lobos have enough against the depth of the Spartans? Let’s do a deeper dive into this contest to help you find some March Madness bets to make.

New Mexico vs Michigan State Prediction Today March 23

My prediction

As much as we all like upsets, it’s very hard to go against the Michigan State squad, which has depth and defense, especially on the perimeter. Izzo plays as many as 10 players in his regular rotation, and the Spartans wear down their opponents with their relentless nature on the boards on both ends of the floor.

The last time Izzo and Pitino squared off in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, it was Michigan State rolling to a 20-point win in 2019, and we think history repeats itself in this one. MSU’s NCAAB championship odds are good for a reason, and it will show why on Sunday.

Top 2 New Mexico vs Michigan State Betting Picks

My top picks

1. New Mexico vs Michigan State ATS Pick: Michigan State -7
2. New Mexico vs Michigan State O/U Pick: Under 147.5

My Analysis

Michigan State got a pushback from 15th-seeded Bryant in the first round before overwhelming the Bulldogs on the boards, especially on the offensive glass. The Spartans had 21 offensive boards, including six from Coen Carr and five from Jaxon Kohler, who is Michigan State’s leading rebounder at 7.7 per game.

COEN CARR LIKE A POGO STICK ON THAT PUTBACK 🤯#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/9bLbJEoutD

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2025

The Spartans are hard to defend because so many different players can hurt an opponent, which is why they’re one of the top expert March Madness picks to make the Final Four. New Mexico must ratchet it up on the boards and hit some open 3-pointers when it can. This game won’t be close, and we like it to finish under because of the Lobos’ lack of points.

New Mexico vs Michigan State How To Watch

• Game: New Mexico (27-7) vs Michigan State (28-6)
• Date/Time: Sunday, March 23, 8:40 p.m. ET
• Location: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
• New Mexico vs Michigan State Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Check here for New Mexico vs Michigan State stats.