Sunday’s Elite 8 slate features Michigan St. vs. Auburn, Tennessee vs. Houston
Mackenzie Salmon breaks down Sunday’s Elite Eight matchups.
Sports Seriously
The top-seeded Auburn Tigers will meet the No. 2 seeded Michigan State Spartans in an Elite Eight matchup on Sunday.
The winner will represent the South Region of the men’s NCAA Tournament bracket and compete in the Final Four against the No. 1 seeded Florida Gators, who took down Texas Tech 84-79 on Saturday.
The Tigers are coming off a 78-65 victory over No. 5 seed Michigan on Friday. SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome had 22 points and 16 rebounds in the matchup to lead Auburn.
Michigan State is coming off a 73-70 victory over Ole Miss on Friday. Jase Richardson had 20 points and six rebounds to lead the Spartans.
Follow along live for bracket updates, scores, highlights and how to watch Sunday’s action:
Auburn leads Michigan State 23-15 with 6:39 left in the first half.
Johni Broome has 11 points, four rebounds and two assists for the Tigers.
What time is Auburn vs. Michigan State basketball today?
March Madness continues Sunday with an Elite Eight matchup between the No. 1-seeded Auburn Tigers and the No. 2-seeded Michigan State Spartans. The action tips off at 5:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch Auburn vs. Michigan State: TV, streaming coverage
- TV channel: CBS
- Live stream: Paramount+ and Fubo (Fubo offers a free trial subscription)
Men’s NCAA Tournament games on Sunday will be broadcast on CBS. You can also watch Elite 8 action via these streaming options: Paramount+ and Fubo. Fubo offers a free trial subscription to new users.
The Auburn Tigers are favorites to beat the Michigan State Spartans, according to BetMGM odds as of Sunday, March 30.
- Spread: Auburn (-5.5)
- Moneyline: Auburn (-220); Michigan State (+180)
- O/U: 147.5
Detroit Free Press: Michigan State 68, Auburn 66
Chris Solari writes, “Don’t be fooled by the offensive capabilities of these two teams. Both Tom Izzo and Bruce Pearl know the key will be defending each other at an elite level. For the Spartans, that means alternating their big men on Johni Broome and their guards on Tahaad Pettiford to keep them confused and forcing the rest of the Tigers’ eight-man rotation to play above their averages. Auburn can get sloppy, but MSU also must continue to play through mistakes and keep it close into the second half, where Izzo’s adjustments and his players’ sheer will to win send the Spartans back to his ninth Final Four and first since 2019.”
Lansing State Journal: Auburn 78, Michigan State 70
Graham Couch writes, “In terms of pound-for-pound talent, this will be MSU’s biggest challenge of the season thus far. I’ve learned time after time not to doubt this MSU team. But here we are again.”
The Auburn Tigers and Michigan State Spartans have played one another just once in their history. The Spartans defeated the Tigers 92-79 on Nov. 23, 1989.
The Auburn Tigers have never won a national championship. They have reached as far as the Final Four in 2019. The program also claims two Elite Eight appearances (1986, 2019) and six Sweet 16 appearances.
The Michigan State Spartans have won the national championship twice (2000, 1979). The Spartans also went to the finals in 2009, losing to North Carolina, 89-72.
Odds to win the men’s NCAA national championship, according to BetMGM odds as of Saturday, March 29. Here’s a full look at the favorites to win the men’s tournament:
- Duke (+190)
- Florida (+290)
- Houston (+525)
- Auburn (+550)
- Michigan State (+2800)
USA TODAY’s Dan Wolken looks at Bruce Pearl’s thoughts on his Auburn team playing underdog in its game against Michigan State.
Wolken begins, “Bruce Pearl had an interesting framing for overall No. 1 seed Auburn’s matchup with Michigan State on Sunday for a spot in the Final Four.
And by interesting, we mean utterly nonsensical.
‘We’re a team made up of only one five-star (recruit),’ Pearl said Saturday. ‘One of the things I reminded my guys of, there are several guys on the Michigan State roster that are McDonald’s All-Americans. I have one, and that’s Tahaad Pettiford. He’s pretty good.'”
All times Eastern
Tuesday, March 18
First Four games
Wednesday, March 19
First Four games
Thursday, March 20
Round of 64 games
- South region: No. 9 Creighton def. No. 8 Louisville, 89-75
- Midwest region: No. 4 Purdue def. No. 13 High Point, 75-63
- East region: No. 3 Wisconsin def. No. 14 Montana, 86-66
- Midwest region: No. 1 Houston def. No. 16 SIU-Edwardsville, 78-40
- South region: No. 1 Auburn def. No. 16 Alabama State, 83-63
- Midwest region: No. 12 McNeese State def. No. 5 Clemson, 69-67
- East region: No. 6 BYU def. No. 11 VCU, 80-71
- Midwest region: No. 8 Gonzaga def. No. 9 Georgia, 89-68
- Midwest region: No. 2 Tennessee def. No. 15 Wofford, 77-62
- West region: No. 10 Arkansas def. No. 7 Kansas, 79-72
- South region: No. 4 Texas A&M def. No. 13 Yale, 80-71
- West region: No. 11 Drake def. No. 6 Missouri, 67-57
- Midwest region: No. 7 UCLA def. No. 10 Utah State, 72-47
- West region: No. 2 St. John’s def. No. 15 Omaha, 83-53
- South region: No. 5 Michigan def. No. 12 UC San Diego, 68-65
- West region: No. 3 Texas Tech def. No. 14 UNC-Wilmington, 82-72
Friday March 21
Round of 64 games
- East region: No. 9 Baylor def. No. 8 Mississippi State, 75-72
- East region: No. 2 Alabama def. No. 15 Robert Morris, 90-81
- South region: No. 3 Iowa State def. No. 14 Lipscomb, 82-55
- West region: No. 12 Colorado State def. No. 5 Memphis, 78-70
- East region: No. 1 Duke def. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 93-49
- East region: No. 7 Saint Mary’s def. No. 10 Vanderbilt, 59-56
- South region: No. 6 Ole Miss def. No. 11 North Carolina, 71-64
- West region: No. 4 Maryland def. No. 13 Grand Canyon, 81-49
- West region: No. 1 Florida def. No. 16 Norfolk State, 95-69
- Midwest region: No. 3 Kentucky def. No. 14 Troy, 76-57
- South region: No. 10 New Mexico def. No. 7 Marquette, 75-66
- East region: No. 4 Arizona def. No. 13 Akron, 93-65
- West region: No. 8 UConn def. No. 9 Oklahoma, 67-59
- Midwest region: No. 6 Illinois def. No. 11 Xavier, 86-73
- South region: No. 2 Michigan State def. No. 15 Bryant, 87-62
- East region: No. 5 Oregon def. No. 12 Liberty, 81-52
Saturday, March 22
Sunday, March 23
Thursday, March 27
East and West region Sweet 16 games
Friday, March 28
Midwest and South region Sweet 16 games
Saturday, March 29
Sunday, March 30
Saturday, April 5
Final Four
- Semifinal 1: 6:09 p.m. | CBS
- Semifinal 2: 8:49 p.m. | CBS
Monday, April 7
- National championship game: 8:50 p.m. | CBS
The men’s Final Four is scheduled for Saturday, April 5. The NCAA championship game will take place two days later on Monday, April 7. All games will played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
For the women, the Final Four will be played on Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The championship game will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at the same venue.
Here is the remaining schedule for the women’s NCAA Tournament:
- Elite Eight: March 30-March 31
- Final Four: Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Second game starts 30 minutes after first game ends.
- NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
