Michigan State vs North Dakota State March Madness picks: Who has edge?
Five Free Press sports writers make their picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament game between Michigan State basketball and North Dakota State.
It's the green and white vs. the green and yellow in Buffalo, New York, as Michigan State basketball faces North Dakota State on Thurday, March 19 (4:05 p. m.
, TNT) at KeyBank Center. The Spartans are the 4-seed and favored by 16½ points, but that doesn't rule out an upset by the 13-seed Bison: two 4-seeds have lost in the first round in the past three years (Alabama to College of Charleston in 2024 and Virginia to Furman in 2023). Will the Spartans go the way of the Crimson Tide and Cavaliers?
Probably not, but five Free Press sports writers have their thoughts on the 2026 NCAA Tournament first-round game between Michigan State and North Dakota State . MAKE YOUR PICKS: Beat our March Madness expert bracket: Picks for every NCAA game Tony Garcia If this is in fact Tom Izzo’s month, there’s no time to fall to a double-digit seed. The Spartans' defense has been gutted its past two games, but Jeremy Fears Jr.
is exactly the type of guard a team needs in March. He leads the Spartans out of the opening round. The pick: MSU 77, North Dakota State 64.