Michigan State vs Mississippi State score, highlights: Spartans win 2024 March Madness game

The wait is over. March Madness is officially here — and who better than Michigan State and Tom Izzo to tip off the action?

The Spartans are on the chase for their third national championship, beginning with a Thursday Round 1 game against Mississippi State in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. They will face off inside the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan State basketball creams Mississippi State 69-51 in 2024 NCAA tournament 1st round

The 9 seed Spartans (19-14, 10-10 in Big Ten play) squeaked into the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid, but will look to flip the switch from their loss in the Big Ten Tournament and rely on their history, and success, in the big dance by knocking off the 8-seeded Bulldogs.

Michigan State, which has appeared in an NCAA-record 26 consecutive NCAA Tournaments under Izzo, has not lost a first-round game since 2016 and only five times overall (though the Spartans did lose in the First Four in 2021 to UCLA).

As for the Bulldogs, an upset win over Tennessee in the SEC Tournament helped Chris Jans' squad punch their ticket to March Madness. Mississippi State, who is considered by some as one of the sleeper teams in the West Region, leads the SEC in steals per game (8.1) and has a strong one-two punch with Josh Hubbard and Tolu Smith.

Check out all the updates from Thursday's NCAA Tournament first-round matchup between Michigan State vs Mississippi State:

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Michigan State vs. Mississippi State live score updates in NCAA first round

All times in Eastern

2:15 p.m.: Michigan State defeats Mississippi State 69-51 to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Tyson Walker leads the Spartans with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Tom Izzo improves to 56-24 in the NCAA Tournament.

2:13 p.m. DAVIS SMITH!!! The Michigan State walk-on hits a long 3-pointer to put Michigan State up 69-51. Steven Izzo had the assist for the Spartans.

2:12 p.m.: Tom Izzo empties the bench as his son Steven Izzo comes into the game.

2:11 p.m.: Mississippi State is one for its last 14 shots from the field as Josh Hubbard misses a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Michigan State has held Mississippi State to 37.7% from the field thus this afternoon.

2:10 p.m: Michigan State is two minutes away from advancing to the second round as the Spartans lead Mississippi State 66-51.

2:05 p.m.: Josh Hubbard's missed 3-pointer goes out of bounds and sends this one into the under-four media timeout. Michigan State leads Mississippi State by 15 points, 66-51 with 3:49 to go in regulation.

2:01 p.m.: Tyson Walker from downtown! Walker drains a 3-pointer right in front of the Spartans bench to put Michigan State now up 66-49 with 4:57 to go.

1:58 p.m.: Jaden Aiken have yourself a game! He hits his third 3-pointer of the afternoon to put Michigan State up 63-49. He now has 15 points on the afternoon.

1:53 p.m: At the under-eight media timeout, Michigan State leads Mississippi State 60-45. Spartans are once again locking down on defense, as the Bulldogs have not scored in the last 2:33 and are one for their last seven from the field.

1:48 p.m.: Mississippi State calls a timeout after Tre Holloman joins the Michigan State 3-point party. Spartans lead the Bulldogs 59-45 with 9:13 to go in the second half. Holloman now has five points on the afternoon.

1:46 p.m.: Xavier Booker extends the Michigan State lead back up to 13 points at 56-43 as he hits a corner 3-pointer. It is the sixth made 3-pointer of the afternoon for the Spartans.

1:45 p.m.: Both teams' offenses are heating up here in the second half as both exchange basket for basket. Jaden Aiken gets the best out of Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard as he drives through the lane for the dunk to put Michigan State up 53-43 with 10:43 to go in the second half at the under-12 media timeout.

1:37 p.m.: Michigan State forces its 10th turnover of the afternoon. Then on the next possession, A.J. Hoggard found Malik Hall near the basket for the alley-hoop dunk. Spartans lead the Bulldogs 45-37 with 13:35 to go in the second half.

1:34 p.m.: Per the CBS broadcast, Mississippi State put Josh Hubbard through concussion protocol, after he went to the bench after taking an elbow to the face from Jaden Aiken at the 18:00 mark of the second half, and was cleared with no restrictions.

1:30 p.m.: Under-16 media timeout...Michigan State opens the game up to its largest lead of the afternoon at 41-29 as Tyson Walker converts on the jumper. Walker is now up to a game-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field.

1:25 p.m.: Jaden Aiken came up with a big play on the defensive end at the 18:00 mark of the second half when he blocked Josh Hubbard's shot at the glass. Hubbard took an elbow to the face from Aiken and went to the bench briefly to be evaluated. He returned to the game 54 seconds later.

1:22 p.m: Second half is underway. Michigan State opens the half with a jumper from Tyson Walker. Spartans lead 33-24.

1:20 p.m.: A.J. Hoggard finished with five assists, five points and two rebounds in the first half. But did you notice he was wearing his shorts backward to start the game? He apparently was.

1:03 p.m: Michigan State leads Mississippi State 31-24 at halftime. Tyson Walker leads Michigan State with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field. Josh Hubbard leads Mississippi State with 13 points. Spartans are shooting 54.2% from the field and out-rebounding the Bulldogs 16-10 after the opening 20 minutes.

1:00 p.m: Malik Hall drives to the basket and hits the jumper at the buzzer to send Michigan State into the locker room leading Mississippi State 31-24.

12:59 p.m: Tom Izzo burns his first timeout of the afternoon after Josh Hubbard hits a 3-pointer to make it a five-point game at 29-24 with 15 seconds to go until halftime.

12:56 p.m: A.J. Hoggard from DEEP! The Michigan State guard joins the party from beyond the arc to put the Spartans up 29-11 with 1:15 to go in the first half. He has five points on the afternoon.

12:52 p.m: Michigan State sophomore Carson Cooper is wearing a face mask in today's game against Mississippi State after the 6-foot-11 center sustained a nose injury in the Big Ten tournament against Purdue.

12:50 p.m.: Jaden Akins hits Michigan State's fourth 3-pointer of the day. Spartans lead Bulldogs 27-18 at the final media timeout of the first half.

12:46 p.m: Michigan State ends its over four-minute scoring drought on a mid-range jumper from Jaden Akins. Spartans back up to a 22-15 lead with less than six minutes to go in the first half.

12:42 p.m: Mississippi State has cut the Michigan State lead to 20-15 going into the under-eight media timeout thanks to a 7-0 run out of the last media timeout. The Spartans are currently on a 3:22 scoring drought, where they have also turned over the ball four times.

12:36 p.m.: CBS Sports' Allie LaForce reported through Chris Jans that Mississippi State senior forward D.J. Jeffries is still working through an injury that he sustained in the SEC Tournament against Auburn. Per Jans, Jeffries hasn't practiced much since the SEC Tournament and is trying to give it a go today against Michigan State.

12:35 p.m: Michigan State forcing all sorts of trouble for Mississippi State on the defense end. Bulldogs are currently in a 4:03 scoring drought and have turned over the ball five times, resulting in 10 points for the Spartans.

12:35 p.m.: Spartans lead the Bulldogs 20-8 at the under-12 media timeout. Michigan State is shooting 66.7% from the field to open up the game. Walker leads the Spartans with eight points.

12:29 p.m.: Mississippi State calls a timeout after Walker drains his second 3-pointer of the game to put Michigan State up 18-8 at the 12:14 mark of the first half. Spartans on an 8-0 run over the last 1:14 and are shooting 70% from the field to begin the game.

12:26 p.m: Michigan State gets back-to-back transition buckets off of steals. The first one came on a Walker steal that he found Xavier Booker for the basket while the second came from Keshawn Murphy who found Hoggard on the fast break.

12:22 p.m.: Michigan State's defense is out to a strong start as it forces its third turnover in the game. At the under-16 media timeout, the Spartans lead the Bulldogs 8-4.

12:21 p.m.: Hoggard ends a brief scoring drought for Michigan State with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Spartans leads the Bulldogs 8-4.

12:20 p.m: Mississippi State's Cameron Matthews gets tabbed with two early fouls. He heads to the bench.

12:17 p.m.: Jaden Akins puts the Spartans on the board first as he hits a 3-pointer. A.J. Hoggard with the assist. Michigan State leads 3-0 with 19:03 left in the first half.

12:15 p.m.: Mississippi State wins the tip. March Madness is underway!

12:13 p.m.: Tip-off is approaching. Michigan State starters: Tyson Walker, Jaden Akins, A.J. Hoggard, Malik Hall and Carson Cooper. Mississippi State starters: Dashawn Davis, Josh Hubbard, D.J. Jeffries, Tolu Smith III and Cameron Matthews.

Malik Hall dunk vs. Mississippi State

A.J. Hoggard found Malik Hall on the alley hoop for the dunk in the second half to put Michigan State up 47-37 against Mississippi State:

Jaden Aiken blocks Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard at the glass

Jaden Aiken added an early entry for the March Madness highlight reel as he came up big on the defensive end with a denied Josh Hubbard at the rim:

Malik Hall beats the buzzer at the end of the first half vs. Mississippi State

Mady Sissoko Dunk

Spartans big man Mady Sissoko recorded the first dunk of March Madness as he finished off the bounce pass from A.J. Hoggard.

Michigan State starters

Mississippi State starters

What channel is Michigan State vs. Mississippi State on today? How to watch, stream live

• TV channel: CBS

• Stream: NCAA March Madness Live app | Fubo TV (free trial)

Michigan State will tip off vs. Mississippi State onCBS. Streaming options include the NCAA March Madness Live app and Fubo TV, which provides a free trial to select users. Brian Anderson (play-by-play), former Ohio State star forward Jim Jackson (analyst) and Allie LaForce (sideline reporter) will have the call on TNT.

Michigan State vs. Mississippi start time, TV info, location

• Start time: 12:15 p.m. ET

• TV info: CBS

• Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C,

Michigan State and Mississippi State will tip off the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 21 at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REQUIRED READING: Watch: Michigan State basketball's Jaden Akins rises for emphatic pin block

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State preview

Michigan State: The Spartans have a lot to prove after sneaking into the tournament. If Michigan State is able to get on a run, it will be because of its senior duo of Tyson Walker and Malik Hall so look out for both being big X-factors on Thursday.

Mississippi State: It's been an up-and-down season for the Bulldog,s but two constant things have been their their defense and rebounding. The key will be to stop Hubbard, who is averaging 25.4 points in the last eight games and is fourth in the nation in 3-point attempts.

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State odds, betting line, spread

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, 11:43 a.m.

• Spread: Michigan State (-1.5)

• Over/under: 130.5 points

• Moneyline: Michigan State -130 | Mississippi State +105

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State prediction, game picks

Michigan State 70, Mississippi State 65

It's hard to go against Izzo in March, especially when Michigan State is the lower-ranked team. Mississippi State's defense, which ranks 18th on KenPom, might cause the Spartans some trouble, but "Mr. March's" history in the big dance should be enough to squeak the Spartans out of this one.

REQUIRED READING: Who is Nick Sanders? Meet Barry Sanders' son, Michigan State walk-on, ahead of March Madness

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State injury updates

This section will be updated closer to tip-off

• Michigan State: 

• Mississippi State: 

Michigan State vs. Mississippi State stats

Michigan State

• PPG: 73.1

• PPG allowed: 65.9

• FG% 46.1%

• 3PT%: 35.9%

• KenPom ranking: 19

Mississippi State

• PPG: 74.9

• PPG allowed: 69.1

• FG% 45.5%

• 3PT%: 32.5%

• KenPom ranking: 31

Michigan State vs. Mississippi Statechampionship odds

Odds according to BetMGM (as of Wednesday, March 20):

• Michigan State: +10000

• Mississippi State: +15000

Michigan State basketball schedule 2023-24

Here are the last five games of Michigan State's 2023-24 basketball season. For the Spartans' full schedule click here.

Mississippi State basketball schedule 2023-24

Here are the last five games of Mississippi State's 2023-24 basketball season. For the Bulldogs' full schedule click here.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State vs Missisippi State score, highlights from 2024 NCAA Tournament game