North Dakota State Bison vs Michigan State Spartans NCAAB Betting Pick & Prediction for 3/19

The North Dakota State Bison will take on the Michigan State Spartans in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. This game is part of the East Region and will be played at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. The game is set for Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 4:05 PM ET and will be aired on TNT.

North Dakota State enters the game as the 14th seed, coming off a strong regular season with a 27-7 record. They finished 17-2 in the Summit Conference. Michigan State, ranked 11th in the AP Poll, is the 3rd seed with a 25-7 overall record and a 15-6 mark in the Big Ten Conference. Both teams will be eager to advance in this postseason tournament.

North Dakota State Bison vs Michigan State Spartans Game Day Info

  • Sport: NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball
  • Teams: North Dakota State Bison vs Michigan State Spartans
  • Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo NY
  • Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
  • Betting Odds: North Dakota State +16.5, Michigan State -16.5

North Dakota State Bison Team Preview

North Dakota State Bison have had a strong season with a 27-7 overall record. In conference play, they have a 17-2 record. They recently defeated the North Dakota Fighting Hawks with a score of 70-62.

The Bison average 80.7 points per game, ranking 83rd in the nation. They make 11.6 three-pointers per game, which places them 13th in the country. Their effective field goal percentage stands at 54.7, showing their shooting efficiency.

Damari Wheeler-Thomas leads the team with 14.4 points per game. Trevian Carson contributes significantly with 12.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Noah Feddersen adds 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

Michigan State Spartans Team Preview

The Michigan State Spartans have had a challenging recent stretch. They lost their last game against UCLA by four points with a score of 88-84. Jeremy Fears Jr. led the team with 21 points and 13 assists.

In their prior game, the Spartans faced Michigan and lost by 10 points, ending with a score of 90-80. Jaxon Kohler stood out with 23 points and eight rebounds. Despite the losses, the team showed solid performances from key players.

Michigan State’s season stats show strength in assists, ranking 8th with 18.5 per game. They are also strong in rebounds, averaging 39.8 per game. These stats reflect the team’s overall solid play despite recent setbacks.

BTB Betting Pick

The current line has Michigan State as a -16.5 favorite against North Dakota State. With Michigan State averaging 78.9 points per game and North Dakota State at 80.7, the Bison’s higher scoring rate suggests they can cover the spread. Therefore, the pick is North Dakota State to cover +16.5.

The over/under for the game is set at 143.5. Combining the average points scored by both teams gives a total of 159.6. This is significantly higher than the line. Thus, the recommendation is to take the over 143.5 for this game.