Tom Izzo and the Michigan Spartans (+1,500 to win the national title) are always a threat to win the national title, but they can’t be too complacent in their first round meeting with the Bradley Braves this coming Thursday. The Braves (+500,000) are full of pride and are motivated to make noises, as they look to take full advantage of their first tour of duty in March Madness in over 10 years.
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Betting Preview for the Bradley Braves vs. Michigan State Spartans College Basketball Game on March 16, 2019
Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
When: Thursday, March 21, 2019, 2:45 PM ET
Line: Bradley Braves (+18.5) vs. Michigan State Spartans (-18.5) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: truTV
Betting on the Bradley Braves (20-14 Overall / 9-9 Conference)
The Braves are going dancing thanks to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title they won this year. In the finals, Bradley took down the Northern Iowa Panthers, 57-54, but the biggest win the school pulled off during the duration of the tournament was in the semis, when the Braves beat MVC No. 1 seed and last year’s Final Four team Loyola-Chicago Ramblers, 53-51. This is Bradley’s first appearance in March Madness since an unforgettable stint in 2006, when the Braves managed to reach the Sweet 16 Round by scoring upsets over the Kansas Jayhawks and the Pittsburgh Panthers. Bradley’s offense is among the most anemic in the nation, as it averaged just 66.4 points per game in the regular season, but its defense is nothing to scoff at. It allowed just 65.2 points per game — 33rd nationally. They are being led by Darrell Brown, who averages 14.7 points per game.
Bradley is 3-0 against the spread (ATS) in its last three games. The under is also 3-0 in the Bears last three outings.
Betting on the Michigan State Spartans (28-6 Overall / 16-4 Conference)
Friday’s meeting with the Braves is for Michigan State to lose. The Spartans are riding a wave of momentum, as they are coming off a win in the Big Ten title game against the Michigan Wolverines last Sunday, 65-60. The Spartans have been bugged with health issues all season long. They will not have the services of Joshua Langford in the national tournament due to an ankle injury and Kyle Ahrens, who suffered a nasty ankle injury in the Wolverines game. Nevertheless, Bradley is unlikely to be the team to make the Spartans miss the absences of those two players. For one, they still have Cassius Winston, whose omnipresence and effectiveness on the court is infections to his teammates. Winston, the Big Ten Player of the Year, is averaging 19.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 7.5 steals per game. The Spartans paced their conference with a 48.6 field goal percentage and also limited Big Ten teams to just 37.8 percent shooting from the field.
The Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan State wins, 78-57.
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