Utah State vs Missouri Odds & Predictions – Aggies Favored as #10 Seed

• No. 7 Missouri faces No. 10 Utah State on Thursday in the Round of 64
• The Aggies are a slim 1.5-point favorite
• Keep reading for the Missouri vs Utah State odds and prediction

Thursday afternoon brings an intriguing matchup in the south region at March Madness as #7 Missouri (24-9, 16-16-1 ATS) faces Mountain West standouts #10 Utah State (26-8, 21-12 ATS) at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The tip-off for this first-round meeting is scheduled for 1:40 PM ET.

The Tigers made an impressive run in the SEC Tournament, ultimately losing to a very good Alabama team in the semifinals. Considering they went 12-21 last season, Mizzou has a lot to be proud of. The Aggies meanwhile reached the final of the Mountain West Tournament, falling to San Diego State.

Utah State vs Missouri Odds

Utah State is laying 1.5 points and has moneyline odds of -125. They’ve covered in 63.6% of their games this season. Missouri comes back at +105 and went 6-7 as an ATS underdog.

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Odds as of March 14th at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Aggies Could Be Dark Horse

Utah State really had an impressive season and was easily the second-best program in the MWC. The Aggies won seven in a row before a 62-57 loss to the Aztecs in the title game on Saturday, a team they failed to beat all season.

However, Ryan Odom’s squad shines in numerous offensive categories, ranking 31st in the nation in PPG, fifth in three-point percentage (39.4), ninth in assists, and fourth in true shooting percentage (60.4). If you needed more evidence, Utah State is 18th in the country in Kenpom rankings.

Utah State is DANCING! 🕺#MarchMadness @USUBasketball pic.twitter.com/SX3spJBD0e

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 12, 2023

The Aggies are led by guard Steven Ashworth, who averages 16.3 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per night while shooting a blistering 44% from deep. Four others are putting up double figures in points as well. Considering this conference has four teams in the NCAA Tournament, it goes to show how solid Utah State is. If they get hot from long range, it’s dangerous for the Tigers, who are allowing opponents to shoot 35.7% from three-point territory.

Quite the Turnaround for Missouri

Coming out of the SEC is never easy, but Missouri managed to do so, making its first appearance in the Big Dance since 2021. In fact, they’ve failed to get past the first round in six previous outings in March dating back to 2011.

That being said, the Tigers finished fourth in the SEC in 2022-23 at 11-7 in conference action and 24-9 overall. Dennis Gates’ group knocked off Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals before Alabama eliminated them. But, Mizzou did enough to earn a #7 seed in the March Madness bracket.

Missouri is DANCING! 🕺#MarchMadness @MizzouHoops pic.twitter.com/Z7dRDD5Nxr

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 12, 2023

This is also a team that has no issues scoring the rock, sitting 23rd in the NCAA with 79.5 PPG and ranking 19th in offensive rating. Kobe Brown is a big reason for their success, averaging 15.9 points, 6.3 boards, and 2.5 dimes. He’s also draining 44.7% of his triples. Senior guard D’Moi Hodge meanwhile is ready to go out with a bang, also dropping 14.8 points per night on 40% three-point shooting.

Utah State vs Missouri Prediction

You have two explosive offenses here, which could end up being a very entertaining contest. The Aggies haven’t made it past the opening round since 2001, while it’s been over a decade since the Tigers progressed to the Round of 32. Personally, though, I’m liking Utah State. They’re red-hot while Mizzou struggles defensively at times and has three players listed in the key March Madness injuries.

Pick: Utah State -1.5 (-110)