As of this writing, there’s a three-way tie for the best conference record in the Big Ten, and among them are the Michigan State Spartans (+1000 to win the national title), who can win the regular-season title outright with a win over the Ohio State Buckeyes, outside of course with what happens to the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers. The Buckeyes (+3200) are not in the running anymore for the conference regular-season title, but a win against Michigan State will give them more confidence ahead of the conference tourney.
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Betting Preview for the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Michigan State Spartans NCAA College Basketball Game on March 8 2020
Where: Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing
When: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Ohio State Buckeyes (Odds) vs. Michigan State Spartans (Odds) – view all 2020 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Ohio State Buckeyes (21-9 Overall / 11-8 Conference)
Despite missing one of their most important pieces in big man Kyle Young, the Buckeyes were able to muster a 71-63 win at home over the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini last Thursday. Young didn’t play in the game due to an ankle injury that has kept him out for three games in a row. Young, a junior forward for the Buckeyes, remains uncertain with regards to his status for the regular-season finale in East Lansing this coming weekend. If he’s going to miss yet another game, the Buckeyes will hope for EJ Liddell to put up another great performance with his increased minutes. Liddell finished the Fighting Illini game with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field with 11 rebounds in 27 minutes of action off the bench. His energy kept the Buckeyes afloat despite them shooting just 38.6 percent from the field.
Ohio State is averaging 72.2 points per game. The team is also 15th in the nation with just 62.4 points allowed per game.
The Buckeyes are 4-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last four games.
Betting on the Michigan State Spartans (21-9 Overall / 13-6 Conference)
Down 15 at the half, the Spartans clawed their way back and did almost everything right in the final 20 minutes of their game against the Penn State Nittany Lions last Tuesday to score a come-from-behind 79-71 win. The Spartans got a huge game from Xavier Tillman Sr., who pumped out 23 points and 15 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Rockets Watts supplied the Spartans with 18 points more, while Cassius Winston had 14 points and seven assists. Terrific off-the-ball movement and unselfishness on the offense keyed the win for the Spartans in that game. Up against the Buckeyes’ sticky defense, Winston and company do know what to do to break Ohio State’s defenders down. After all, the Spartans are second in the nation with 17.7 assists per game and tops with an assist-to-field-goal ratio of 0.650.
The under is 7-0 in the Spartans’ last seven games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan State wins, 74-70.
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