NCAA Tournament Picks: Michigan vs LSU 3/22/21 College Basketball Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Michigan Wolverines battle the LSU Tigers Monday in the college basketball NCAA Tournament Second Round at Lucas Oil Stadium as March Madness rolls on.

The LSU Tigers look for another win after beating St. Bonaventure in the first round. The LSU Tigers are averaging 82.7 points on 46.9 percent shooting and allowing 75.4 points on 41.9 percent shooting. Cameron Thomas is averaging 21.6 points and 2.8 rebounds while Trendon Watford is averaging 18.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. Ja’Vonte Smart is the third double-digit scorer and Darius Days is grabbing 4.4 rebounds. The LSU Tigers are shooting 34.5 percent from beyond the arc and 74.6 percent from the free throw line. The LSU Tigers are allowing 30.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 35 rebounds per game.

The Michigan Wolverines look for another win after beating Texas Southern in the first round. The Michigan Wolverines are averaging 76.5 points on 48.8 percent shooting and allowing 65.2 points on 39 percent shooting. Hunter Dickinson is averaging 14.3 points and 7.7 rebounds while Isaiah Livers is averaging 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds. Franz Wagner is the third double-digit scorer and Mike Smith is grabbing 2.6 rebounds. The Michigan Wolverines are shooting 38.6 percent from beyond the arc and 76.5 percent from the free throw line. The Michigan Wolverines are allowing 32.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 35.5 rebounds per game.

The Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games and 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Wolverines are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games as a favorite and 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games overall. The under is 14-3 in Tigers last 17 NCAA Tournament games. The under is 12-4 in Wolverines last 16 overall.

The LSU Tigers are a respectable offensive team that hasn’t gotten beat up in many games this season and should be up to the task of competing in this contest. However, there’s no arguing the Michigan Wolverines are the more talented team across the board here and are 16-6 against the spread this season in the favorite role. Michigan has shown far more balance this season and should be due for a breakout performance after playing a physical defensive team in the first round. We’re not being asked to lay anything crazy. I’ll lay the chalk with the Wolverines.