No. 9 Northern Iowa Panthers vs No. 5 Michigan State Spartans
Friday, March 26th – 9:37 PM ET
Edward Jones Dome – St. Louis, MI
Midwest Region
March Madness Odds: Michigan State -2
The sports betting community knows that injury are simply a part of sports, but they undoubtedly affect the outcomes of the games. That will be the case in the March Madness tournament in the round of the Sweet 16 as college basketball betting cappers will see a matchup between the upstart Northern Iowa Panthers and the Michigan State Spartans.
The Spartans are clearly the brand name team in this matchup as they ventured all the way to the NCAA Tournament Championship game last year, but they don't have the same magic this year.
They have advanced to the Sweet 16 for the ninth time under Tom Izzo, but they'll have a tough time going much further as guard Kalin Lucas appears to have torn his ACL and will now be sidelined for a prolonged period of time.
Lucas, who is the team's best player, was injured in the Spartans second-round contest against Maryland and the team barely hung on without him. The Spartans were up by as many as 14 but blew the lead, needing a last-second three-point shot simply to win it.
They'll be facing the Northern Iowa Panthers, who were the giant killers over the weekend. The Panthers upended the overall No. 1 seed in Kansas and shocked the world. Most people had to tear up their brackets because of this.
The Panthers are no fluke, though, as they have a veteran team. The top six players on their squad have been the same over the last couple of years, so they are familiar with each other and they have good chemistry.
The Panthers are also one of the best teams in the nation on defense – second-best, to be exact – which means they are going to be a tough out in any round.
Overall, this game will be decided based on the turnover battle. Without Lucas, the Spartans had 19 against Maryland. Meanwhile, the Panthers forced 15 Kansas turnovers, which helped them get the win. If they can continue to force turnovers and hit the glass, they will have a great chance to win.
Don't be surprised if it happens; especially with the Spartans shorthanded.
Sportsbook Reviews Pick: Northern Iowa +2
