Even though the No. 10 Michigan State Spartans are not in full strength right now due to injuries to a couple of key players, their meeting with arch-rival and No. 7 Michigan Wolverines is still going to be a must-watch. Both teams are in the thick of the race to the Big Ten regular season title together with No. 15 Purdue Boilermakers. The Spartans are +1,300 to win the national title, while the Wolverines are +1,000 to take home the top prize in college basketball.
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Betting Preview for the Michigan State Spartans vs. Michigan Wolverines College Basketball Game on February 24, 2019
Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor
When: Sunday, February 24, 2019, 4:45 PM ET
Line: Michigan State Spartans (odds) vs. Michigan Wolverines (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Michigan State Spartans (22-5 Overall / 13-3 Conference)
The Spartans are currently on a four-game winning streak after beating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 71-60 at home this past Wednesday, but they are understandably not too happy about their recent success. For one, they learned that Nick Ward is going to miss some time due to an injury. Ward joins Josh Langford on the absentee list for the Spartans, who are going to ask more from point guard Cassius Winston and from the likes of Matt McQuaid and Xavier Tillman. Winston is arguably the best court general in the Big Ten. He leads the team with 18.5 points and 7.4 assists per game. McQuaid, meanwhile, stepped up in last Sunday’s 62-44 road win over the Ohio State Buckeyes, as he scored 14 points to go with five rebounds and four assists. On Wednesday’s win over Rutgers, Winston poured in a game-high 28 points and added eight assists while Tillman really found his groove and finished with a career-high 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds in 33 minutes.
The Spartans are averaging 80.6 points per game this season, but have put up just 69.3 over their last three games. Still, they are finding a way to win, even without Ward.
Michigan State is 8-4 ATS on the road so far this season.
Betting on the Michigan Wolverines (23-3 Overall / 12-3 Conference)
Even Michigan is not immune to the crazy whims of college basketball. That was very evident in their recent 75-69 upset road loss at the hands of the Penn State Nittany Lions on Feb. 12. The good thing is that Michigan didn’t let that loss rattle them too much, as the Wolverines bounced right back with a 65-52 win in Ann Arbor over the No. 24 Maryland Terrapins last Saturday. The Wolverines are 12-10 ATS in games after a win this season, so their meeting with the Minnesota Golden Gophers this Thursday should help bettors decide whether to take the Michigan’s spread or not against the Spartans. Michigan’s defense is one of the most punishing in the nation. The Wolverines allow just 57.6 points per game, with opponents shooting just 39.8 percent from the field against them. They shoot just 32.0 percent from deep, but are making over 51 percent of their shots inside the arc.
Michigan is 8-8 ATS in home games this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan wins, 67-65.
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