Michigan State basketball vs. UCLA Big Ten tournament tipoff: Matchup analysis and a prediction

• What: 3-seed Michigan State vs. 6-seed UCLA, Big Ten tournament quarterfinal

• When: Approximately 9 p.m. (ET) Friday

• Where: United Center, Chicago

• TV/Radio: Big Ten Network/Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM; SiriusXM Ch. 84

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• Records/Rankings: MSU is 25-6 overall, finishing 15-5 in the Big Ten regular season, and is ranked No. 8 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches polls. The Spartans are No. 11 in the NET rankings and No. 9 per the college basketball analytics site Kenpom.com. UCLA is 22-10 overall, finishing 13-7 in the Big Ten regular season, and is unranked in both major polls, while being No. 34 in the NET rankings and ranked No. 29 by Kenpom.

• Betting line: MSU -5.5

• Coaches: Michigan State — Tom Izzo is 762-308 in his 31st season as a head coach, all with the Spartans. UCLA — Mick Cronin is 521-243 in his 23rd season as a head coach and 156-72 in his seventh season with the Bruins. Prior to UCLA, he spent 13 seasons coaching Cincinnati and three at Murray State.

• Series: UCLA leads 8-5 all time, though MSU won the earlier meeting this season, 82-59, on Feb. 17 in East Lansing.

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Projected lineups

MSU

C (15) Carson Cooper (6-11) 10.7

PF (0) Jaxon Kohler (6-9) 12.8

SF (55) Coen Carr (6-5) 11.5

SG (6) Jordan Scott (6-7) 5.9

PG (1) Jeremy Fears Jr. (6-2) 15.5

UCLA

C (34) Tyler Bilodeau (6-9) 18.0

PF (3) Eric Dailey (6-8) 11.3

G (0) Trent Perry (6-4) 12.4

G (3) Skyy Clark (6-3) 11.9

PG (2) Donovan Dent (6-2) 13.6

• MSU update: The Spartans begin the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten tournament and likely in line for a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, which begins next week. A loss to UCLA could jeopardize that, depending on the performances over the next couple days by teams like Nebraska, Purdue, Illinois and, elsewhere, Iowa State and Houston, all teams not far from the Spartans in terms expected NCAA tournament seed line. MSU might have lost at Michigan in its regular…

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Publish date : 2026-03-13 06:16:00

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