We move to the Round of 32 on Saturday as the Louisville Cardinals duke it out with the Michigan State Spartans at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Louisville had to fend off a huge rally from the South Florida Bulls in the Round of 64 to get to this contest, and they are now 24-10 on the year. Michigan State had a much easier time in its opening game as it crushed the North Dakota State Bison by a score of 92-67. That now puts them at 26-7 on the year. These teams last met back in 2021, and Michigan State won that game at home by a score of 73-64.<\/p>\n
Continue reading to see my Louisville vs. Michigan State prediction.<\/p>\n
Odds: Michigan State -4.5: Over\/Under 151.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Louisville enters the Round of 32 at 24\u201310, but its path here was anything but smooth. The Cardinals survived a massive rally from South Florida, escaping with a narrow win after leading by double digits. Offensively, Louisville averages 84.7 points and shoots 47.2%, leaning on Ryan Conwell<\/a>, who leads with 18.7 points and 4.8 rebounds. With Mikel Brown<\/a> out, the scoring load shifts even more toward Conwell and J\u2019Vonne Hadley<\/a>, who adds 11.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. Isaac McKneely<\/a> provides 11.0 points and perimeter shooting. Louisville\u2019s spacing and three\u2011point volume\u201411.6 threes per game\u2014make them dangerous when they get hot.<\/p>\n Defensively, Louisville allows 72.4 points and gives up 42.2% shooting, but their rotations can be inconsistent. They rebound well with 38.5 boards, yet they must tighten their interior defense against Michigan State\u2019s physical frontcourt. The Cardinals must also avoid turnovers, as Michigan State thrives in transition. Their biggest challenge will be slowing the Spartans\u2019 ball movement and preventing early\u2011clock scoring. If Louisville forces longer possessions and hits perimeter shots, they can keep this game competitive.<\/p>\n For Louisville to advance, they need Conwell to score efficiently, Hadley to attack mismatches, and McKneely to stretch the floor. Sananda Fru<\/a> must also protect the paint and rebound with urgency. Louisville\u2019s best path is a high\u2011tempo game in which its shooters find rhythm and its defense forces Michigan State into contested jumpers. If the Cardinals limit mistakes and maintain offensive balance, they can push this matchup deeper than expected.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Michigan State enters this matchup at 26\u20137 after a dominant 92\u201367 win over North Dakota State in the Round of 64. The Spartans looked sharp on both ends, shooting efficiently and controlling the glass. They average 79.3 points and shoot 47.4%, leaning on Jeremy Fears<\/a>, who leads with 15.4 points and 9.2 assists. Jaxon Kohler<\/a> adds 12.6 points and 9.0 rebounds, while Coen Carr<\/a> contributes 11.7 points and athleticism on the wing. Carson Cooper<\/a> provides 11.0 points and 7.2 rebounds, giving Michigan State a strong interior presence. Their balance and ball movement make them difficult to guard.<\/p>\n Defensively, Michigan State allows just 68.4 points and holds opponents to 41.1% shooting, ranking among the nation\u2019s best. Their interior defense is elite, and they rebound well with 39.7 boards. The Spartans must stay disciplined against Louisville\u2019s perimeter shooters and avoid giving Conwell clean looks. Their biggest challenge will be defending the three\u2011point line and preventing Louisville from turning this into a shootout. If Michigan State forces Louisville into late\u2011clock possessions, its defense can take control.<\/p>\nLouisville Cardinals<\/h3>\n
Michigan State Spartans<\/h3>\n