The No. 3-seeded Michigan State Spartans and No. 2-seeded UConn Huskies face off in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.
This should be a chess match between two of the best coaches in the world. My March Madness picks expect Tom Izzo to ride the hot hand with Coen Carr, while Dan Hurley uses outside shooters like Alex Karaban to crack the Spartans D.
Here are my best free Michigan State vs. UConn prop picks for March 27.
Michigan State vs UConn props
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Silas Demary Jr. |
Under 9.5 points | -120 |
 Coen Carr |
Over 17.5 pts + rebs | -105 |
| Alex Karaban |
Over 2.5 threes | +135 |
Prop #1: Silas Demary Jr. Under 9.5 points
UConn Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. is just two weeks removed from a high ankle sprain that sidelined him in the opening round of the tourney. He toughed it out in the second round but finished with just two points on 0-2 shooting.
Demary clearly isn't 100% and he won't be able to slash to the hoop or create separation like he usually does. He isn't even a consistent scorer at full strength, finishing with less than 10 points in six of his last eight games.
He'll find it tough to get buckets against the Michigan State Spartans who play at a slow tempo and rank 13th in the country in adjusted defense.
Prop #2: Coen Carr Over 17.5 points and rebounds
Coen Carr is proving that he's more than just a highlight-reel dunker with some huge performances down the stretch. Carr has combined for 20+ points and rebounds in four of his last five contests, and he's fresh off 21-point, 10-board game against Louisville.
The forward has provided a spark to an MSU offense that desperately needed another scorer to complement Jeremy Fears and Jaxon Kohler. Tom Izzo will rely on his energy, athleticism, and physicality to compete with UConn tonight.
Prop #3: Alex Karaban Over 2.5 threes
Michigan State's defensive scheme packs the paint and limit high-percentage interior shots. However, that strategy tends to leave perimeter shooters open which is why MSU ranks 345th in the country in opponent 3-point rate.
Dan Hurley will try to exploit that with his outside shooters. Unfortunately Solo Ball has been wildly inconsistent this season and freshman Braylon Mullins is in a shooting slump.
That's why I'm backing senior Alex Karaban who is shooting 39.4% from deep and is one of Hurley's most reliable players in big games. The stretch forward has been red-hot in the tourney, knocking down four treys in back-to-back games.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
