WASHINGTON, DC — The East Region is the gift that keeps on giving.
Michigan State and UConn should have a high-intensity feel driven by two of the top coaches and defenses remaining in the tournament. Friday’s Sweet 16 game just might not be aesthetically pleasing.
According to KenPom, the UConn defense ranks 11th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and the Spartans rank 13th. And both offenses look to get into transition but will focus on frontcourt play in the halfcourt set, with the Huskies led by Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban and Michigan State centered on Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper and high-flying forward Coen Carr.
These programs aren’t foreign to March success.
The Spartans are in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons and 17th in the past 28 years under Tom Izzo.
The Huskies are back in the Sweet 16 after winning back-to-back national titles in 2023, ’24.
“I’m just excited,” Huskies coach Dan Hurley said Thursday. “I feel like it’s an honorable game for UConn, Michigan State. It’s a great crazy Sweet 16 game. Excited to be in it.”
Tonight’s winner advances to Sunday’s Elite Eight against the winner of Duke vs. St. John’s.
Here’s what you need to know for tonight’s UConn-Michigan State showdown, including predictions and how to watch.
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
UConn vs Michigan State live score
|
TEAMS |
1H |
2H |
F |
|
Michigan St |
— |
— |
— |
|
UConn |
— |
— |
— |
What time is Michigan State vs UConn?
-
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET, Friday, March 27.
What channel is UConn vs Michigan State? How to watch, streaming info
-
The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.
Michigan State vs UConn prediction, odds
Odds provided by BetMGM.
∎ Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press: UConn 78, Michigan State 73
How the Spartans react to another early deficit on their biggest stage of the season will be critical, and Jeremy Fears once again wills them back by halftime. But the Huskies’ interior depth and strength, particularly Tarris Reed’s physicality, gets Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper and Cam Ward into foul trouble and exploits MSU’s thin post rotation. Ultimately, Fears’ stellar performance isn’t enough, and the Spartans’ season ends short of last season’s Elite Eight trip.
∎ Graham Coach, Lansing State Journal: UConn 74, Michigan State 70
The MSU team we saw at Purdue, at Michigan, against Louisville, that MSU team can beat this UConn team, without UConn having to play poorly. The question is, if both teams have a stellar day, who’s the better team? I think the answer is UConn, by a nose. Physically, this could be blood bath.
-
Blake Toppmeyer: Michigan State
-
Paul Myerberg: Michigan State
-
Jordan Mendoza: Michigan State
-
John Brice: Michigan State
-
Matt Glenesk: Michigan State
-
Austin Curtright: Michigan State
-
Moneyline: UConn (-130); Michigan State (+110)
Silas Demary Jr injury update: Will UConn guard play vs Michigan State?
The 6-4 guard was held out of UConn’s first-round win over 15-seed Furman, rehabbing from an ankle injury he sustained in the Big East Tournament.
He was listed as questionable for UConn’s second-round game, but ended up playing 21 minutes, scoring two points with four assists and no turnovers.
“I’m feeling a lot better the past couple days,” Demary said Thursday. “A lot of rehab, a lot of treatment. Try to get me as close as I can back to 100%.
“I’d say I’m feeling a little bit better, doing everything I can. Still going to do stuff once we leave here, try to get even better. Feel like I’m in a better spot than I was last week. Trying to get back to 100% the best I can.”
Why is Bill Murray at UConn vs Michigan State Sweet 16 game?
Murray’s son Luke Murray is an associate head coach on the Huskies’ coaching staff.
Luke Murray is in his fifth season on the UConn bench and was just named head coach at Boston College. Before taking the Huskies assistant job in 2021, he was an assistant at both Xavier and Louisville under Chris Mack. He is in his ninth season on Hurley’s staff across three different stops.
Boston College hires Luke Murray as new head coach
Connecticut assistant Luke Murray has been hired as the new head coach at Boston College, the university announced on Thursday, March 26.
Murray is the son of actor Bill Murray, who has regularly been spotted sitting behind the bench at games for much of his son’s coaching career.
“Today marks a turning point in Boston College Men’s Basketball,” Boston College athletic director Blake James said in a statement. “In Luke Murray, we have found a leader who does not just understand the modern landscape of college basketball – he has helped define it. His role in building a national championship caliber program, his sophisticated offensive vision, and his relentless pursuit of excellence make him the perfect fit to lead our student-athletes. We are thrilled to welcome Luke, his wife, Kara, and their family to the BC community.”
Is Jeremy Fears Jr a dirty player?
It really depends on who you ask and how you analyze Fears’ game.
Some notable examples of this include him kicking Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds in the groin, for which he received a technical foul for in a 76-73 loss, and being called out by Michigan coach Dusty May for “dangerous” plays in the first meeting between the two Big Ten rivals.
“I go out every game and I play hard. I don’t intentionally try to hurt anyone,” Fears said after Michigan State’s game at Minnesota back in February, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. “I go out and play every game like it’s my last, because at one point it was my last. So I don’t take a game for granted. I don’t take a moment for granted. So I’m going to go out there and play as hard as I can every possession, every game.
“Like at one point, I had basketball taken away from me, so something I love to do, I couldn’t do it for a whole year. So most people wouldn’t understand that. And that’s on them, I guess. At the end of the day, it doesn’t change who I am or what I do. I’m just go out there and play 150(%) no matter what.”
Are Jeremy Fears Jr and Jeremiah Fears related?
Yes, the Michigan State point guard is the brother of now New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears, who was a one-and-done at Oklahoma. Jeremiah Fears was drafted by the Pelicans with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn vs Michigan State live updates, news, prediction, how to watch Sweet 16
Read the full article here