Michigan State vs. Kansas State is the most-wagered Sweet 16 matchup on the board tonight. The Sweet 16 round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament is underway and the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans face off against the No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats on Thursday. The East region game is taking place in New York City with tip-off slated for 6:30 p.m. EST. The game will be telecast on TBS.
How to watch Michigan State vs. Kansas State without cable!
Date: Thursday, March 23
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV channels: TBS, MML
Live stream: PremiumTV.
How to Watch Michigan State Spartans Basketball
There is a live streaming service that you can access easily to watch the Division I Men’s Basketball Semifinal if you are unable to see them on television. To access the streaming site just check out PremiumTV.
March Madness will be a webcast in its entirety at NCAA.com, with subscriptions not necessary. You can watch Michigan State-Kansas State at March Madness Live. Keep in mind that the game will lag for 30–40 seconds while placing your in-game wagers on the match.
Game Notes:
- The winner of Thursday’s game will face the winner of Tennessee vs. Florida Atlantic in a regional final on Saturday. The game’s start time will be revealed late on Thursday night.
- Wildcats guard Markquis Nowell and forward Keyontae Johnson are combining to score 34.6 points per game, the fourth-highest average among duos in the big conferences. Johnson averages 17.5 points per game while Nowell averages 17.1.
- Michigan State is 4-16 in program history at Madison Square Garden. The Spartans lost to Rutgers in the building in February and fell to Kansas in their 2021-22 season opener.
- Michigan State is playing in the Sweet 16 for the 15th time under Tom Izzo and the 17th time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In past games in the Sweet 16, the Spartans have a 10-6 record.
- Michigan State has won five of seven encounters against Kansas State, the latest of which was in 1996 in East Lansing. The two teams will be facing off for the first time in the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan State Stats Perception
- The Spartans make 45.1% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.1 percentage points higher than the Wildcats have allowed to their opponents (42%).
- In games Michigan State shoots higher than 42% from the field, it is 16-6 overall.
- The Spartans are the 149th-ranked rebounding team in the country, the Wildcats sit at 172nd.
- The 70.2 points per game the Spartans put up are only 1.3 more points than the Wildcats give up (68.9).
- Michigan State has a 12-4 record when scoring more than 68.9 points.
Kansas State Stats Perception
- The Wildcats are shooting 45.8% from the field, 3.9% higher than the 41.9% the Spartans’ opponents have shot this season.
- Kansas State is 14-6 when it shoots higher than 41.9% from the field.
- The Wildcats are the 172nd-ranked rebounding team in the nation, the Spartans sit at 289th.
- The Wildcats average 8.5 more points per game (75.5) than the Spartans allow (67).
- Kansas State has an 18-1 record when giving up fewer than 70.2 points.
Michigan State basketball vs. Kansas State preview
The first clash of the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 features two teams with radically contrasting playing styles and public views.
Tom Izzo, a Hall of Fame coach who promotes toughness and defensive ferocity, is the head coach of the (7) Michigan State Spartans. Despite all of their recent success, the Spartans do not typically produce NBA lottery choices at the same rate as Duke or Kentucky.
Instead, their identity is defined by players like Draymond Green, Raymar Morgan and Cassius Winston. The Spartan greats took on the characteristics of their coach.
Meanwhile, Jerome Tang, a first-year head coach, is in charge of the (3) Kansas State Wildcats. Although nowhere near Hall of Fame level, Tang may potentially acquire that designation if he maintains the pace of his debut year.
Compared to Michigan State, Kansas State favors a very different style of play. In a rugged, defensive-minded Big 12, the Wildcats have had to modify their style of play by slowing it down.
However, Tang’s preferred style mimics that of Scott Drew and Baylor. After working under Drew for many seasons, Tang is satisfied to play in transition and to have faith in his backcourt’s skill. Tang has put her trust in Markquis Nowell, particularly during their first working season.
Different tactics between the two opponents in this East regional quarterfinal are clear. The team that succeeds to drag its opponent into a game played at its chosen speed will likely be the decisive factor in securing a berth in the Final 8.
