MSU vs. Oklahoma in NCAAs: Scouting report, pick

Free Press sports writer Joe Rexrode scouts Friday night’s East Regional semifinal game between No. 7 seed MSU and No. 3 seed Oklahoma:

Backcourts

The matchup of the game is MSU’s Denzel Valentine on Big 12 player of the year Buddy Hield. Valentine has had an outstanding defensive run lately — especially the job he did on Dez Wells and then Sam Dekker in the Big Ten tourney — but Hield never stops attacking. MSU also needs Valentine to match or exceed his total number of field goals in the tournament so far — five. Jordan Woodard gets into the lane and creates for Oklahoma, though like adversary Lourawls (Tum Tum) Nairn he is not much of a shooter. The shooter is Isaiah Cousins — 45.3% from three — and another key here will be his performance from outside vs. Travis Trice’s. Trice is playing the best ball of his life.

Edge: Even - Read more at Freep.com