Keys to the game: Ole Miss Men’s Basketball versus Michigan State in Sweet 16

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OXFORD, Miss. – Head coach Chris Beard has done the unthinkable in his second year coaching at Ole Miss, sending the Rebels back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2001. During their first two rounds in Milwaukee, No. 6 Ole Miss took down No. 11 North Carolina and pummeled No. 3 Iowa State two days later.

They’ll now face Michigan State and head coach Tom Izzo today with tipoff set for 6:09 p.m. CT.

Approaching the Sweet 16 against the No. 2 Spartans, here are my keys to the game that could lead Ole Miss to their first-ever Elite Eight.

📍 Atlanta#HottyToddy x #Culture pic.twitter.com/AoQcg3vjpo

— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) March 27, 2025

Rebound the Basketball

Similar to Iowa State early in the first half, Michigan State will likely create various second-chance opportunities throughout this game. In the first two rounds of the tournament, the Spartans have outrebounded their opponents 88-57, with 32 of those coming on the offensive side of the floor. Leading the charge on the glass for Coach Izzo’s group are their tallest three players, listed at 6-foot-9, 6-foot-11, and 7-foot-0: Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, and Szymon Zapala. 

With Michigan State having a clear height advantage over the Rebels, the ability for Ole Miss forwards Malik Dia, Dre Davis, and Jaemyn Brakefield to attack the boards will play a large factor in this one.

Get to the Free Throw Line

For Michigan State’s season average, the Spartans shoot 17 free throws per game, limiting their opponent to 13. They are shooting 78% from the free-throw line, so Ole Miss needs to focus on preventing fouls and keeping Michigan State out of double-bonus late in both halves.

On the flip side, Ole Miss has done a fantastic job drawing fouls and making their free throws down the stretch. In Milwaukee, the Rebs got to the line over 20 times in both games, providing a consistent source of scoring and allowing them to conclude the contests. In this matchup, I believe Beard’s team will need to get to the line over 15 times to put themselves in a position to win.

Create Turnovers

Michigan State is adept at using their guards to generate offensive success, so Ole Miss will need to create pressure across the perimeter and get themselves in passing lanes. In their last game against an elite defensive team in New Mexico, the Spartans turned the ball over nine times. Going against a seasoned, red-hot SEC team, I’d expect the Rebels to force 10 or more turnovers, giving themselves a spark defensively.

Michigan State is running this play on every possession no joke

Euro Ball Screen Offense for an open 3 https://t.co/0qfKSTcxtv pic.twitter.com/xXAzUBm3fE

— Buckets Basketball (@BucketsBBALL1) March 24, 2025

It also goes without saying that against such a potent team in transition, the Rebels absolutely have to take care of the ball and limit their turnovers. In my opinion, ball security and preventing Michigan State from getting fast breaks will play a crucial role in the outcome of this game.

Game Time

Ole Miss vs. Michigan State will begin play tonight at 6:09 p.m. The game will be played in Atlanta at State Farm Arena and broadcast on CBS. As always, Hotty Toddy and Go Rebs!