Preview: seed North Dakota State Bison vs. seed Michigan State Spartans

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — A battle-tested mid-major meets a perennial power when seed North Dakota State faces fifth-seeded Michigan State in a men’s NCAA Tournament first-round game Thursday at KeyBank Center.

The Bison (27-7), champions of the Summit League, enter on a hot streak, having won eight of their last nine games. Their offense has been potent, scoring 70 or more points in seven of those victories. Guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas, the team’s catalyst, averaged 17.4 points over his final seven regular-season games, including a 23-point outing in a key road win at South Dakota State.

Michigan State (25-7), an at-large selection from the Big Ten, aims to rebound after closing its regular season with consecutive losses to Michigan and UCLA. Despite the finish, the Spartans boast wins at Purdue and Indiana. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. has been exceptional, averaging 18.3 points and 8.2 assists over his last six contests. His duel with Wheeler-Thomas will be critical.

The Spartans, installed as 16-point favorites, present a significant size and athleticism challenge for the Bison. Michigan State’s strength-of-schedule vastly outweighs that of North Dakota State, whose last loss was an 84-62 defeat at Saint Thomas on Feb. 26.

North Dakota State will rely on its efficient offense, which shot 50.2% from the field during Summit League play, and its experience in close games, having gone 5-1 in contests decided by five points or fewer.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo will make his 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, while the Bison, making their fifth tournament trip since 2014, have a history of first-round upsets, most notably as a seed in 2014.

The over/under is set at 142.5 points. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on CBS.