College basketball on Saturday and we will see the Ohio State Buckeyes travel to the East Lansing, Michigan to take on the Michigan State Spartans. The game is scheduled for a 6:00 pm (Eastern) start time and will be televised on ESPN. Currently the odds for the game have Michigan State favored by 2.5 points while the total sits at 130. Check out Sportsbook Spy to see who the Public is taking on all of today's games.
Free Analysis: Both teams come in sporting impressive overall records, Ohio State at 13-3 and Michigan State at 15-3. The two have combined to go 7-2 in conference play, helping them both stay within striking distance of first-place Wisconsin (13-4, 4-0).
The Buckeyes have had six days off since hosting rival Michigan and knocking off the last unbeaten team in the country. Traditionally among the best defensive teams in the conference, Michigan State could have its hands full with Deshaun Thomas. Thomas leads the Big Ten in scoring at 20.3 points and has put up at least 20 in each of the last four contests. He also paces the team's rebounding effort with 6.6 per tilt. Smith, Jr. contributes 10.3 ppg as the Buckeyes' only other double-digit scorer at the moment, although five others net between 5.8 and 8.9 ppg, leading a hand in the team as a whole averaging 74.5 ppg. Defensively, Ohio State permits just 57.8 ppg, with foes connecting on only 37.9 percent of their field goal attempts. The Buckeyes are plus-6.3 in rebounding and plus-3.7 in turnover margin.
Since suffering a 76-63 loss at Minnesota in the conference opener on New Year's Eve, Michigan State has reeled off four straight wins, the latest of which being an 81-72 decision at Penn State on Wednesday night. The Spartans have won all 11 games played at home this season, and the Breslin Center is one of the toughest places for any opponent to come and steal a victory. The Spartans got a big game from Adreian Payne following some team-imposed discipline on Wednesday and have won by double digits in each of their first two Big Ten home games. Michigan State is kicking off a stretch of four of five games against ranked teams. Appling leads the Spartans in scoring at 13.7 points but has connected on just 9 of 36 (25 percent) shots in the last four games. Payne, who joined Branden Dawson on the bench for the entire first half on Wednesday after the two engaged in a scuffle at the team hotel, helped pick up the slack for Appling with 20 points in just 17 minutes in the 81-72 win at Penn State. Payne and Derrick Nix have the type of size that could give Ohio State trouble on the inside. The win Wednesday marked only the third time all season that Michigan State had allowed an opponent to reach 70 points. Like Ohio State, MSU also plays pretty stingy defense in yielding a mere 58.5 ppg, as its opponents connect on 38.1 percent of their total shots.
Free Pick: I am going with the Spartans in this one. Michigan State has been dominant at home, winning all 11 games played here. They have won all but 2 by double digits and have outscored their opponents by 18.2 ppg. Defense is the Name for the Spartans at home, where they have allowed just 54 ppg on 33.9% shooting. Not good news for an Ohio State squad that has hit just 40.4% of their shots in their 3 true road games this year. Ohio State is 1-2 in those true road games and have allowed 70.3 ppg on 44.3% shooting those games. That also is not good news for OSU as they will be facing a Spartan squad that scores 72.6 ppg on 49.4% shooting at home. Michigan State is rolling right now and OSU has not played well away from home as the 19 point loss at Illinois would indicate. Michigan State has the much better defense, especially at home and will get more than enough on offense to cover the small number here. Spartans by at least 8 in this one.
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College Basketball Free Picks: Ohio State at Michigan State
What college basketball bettors need to know about Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans on Saturday (1/19/13) - a free pick from Pregame.com's Marco D'Angelo, with Bryan Leonard and host Scott Spreitzer..