The Michigan Wolverines are hosting the Michigan State Spartans in college basketball action today. The game is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on CBS. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Spartans favored to pick up the victory on the road in this one.
Michigan was just blown out in Ann Arbor by Indiana earlier in the week. The Hoosiers ended the first half on a 25-0 run and ended up cruising to the victory. John Beilein's team could not have picked a worse time to lose in that fashion with Michigan State coming to town for this game today. Now Beilein has to find a way to not allow the Hoosiers to beat Michigan in consecutive games. If the Wolverines are still hungover from their last game, Michigan State will have no issues handing them a second consecutive embarrassment.
The rivalry game is certainly important, but it's worth noting only one Michigan starter (Derrick Walton Jr.) actually is from the state of Michigan. The Spartans have three starters from Michigan soil, that could play a bit of a motivational factor in this contest. MSU is favored by a couple of buckets on the road, Tom Izzo's club has won four of their six games away from East Lansing and in one of those games, the Spartans led at Wisconsin by a handful of points late, but could not get the job done in the final seconds.
Michigan State is certainly trending upward right now. Sparty is coming off two straight 30-point wins, albeit against two of the worst teams in the league in Northwestern and Rutgers, but they were still a pair of feel-good wins. Michigan has done well for itself in the absence of its best player in Caris LeVert, but it hurt them against Indiana and his status is still in question here, many believe he won't play at all in the foreseeable future. That gives an edge to Michigan State.
The Wolverines also struggle in half-court sets, the Spartans will be looking to exploit that on the interior in this one. Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis are both better than anybody Michigan can put in the post, if Michigan State can continually pound the basketball inside, Michigan is in for a tough afternoon.
Yet, the Wolverines have the equalizer in a game like this with their 3-point shooting. For the year they have knocked down shots consistently, Duncan Robinson can stretch the floor and if Michigan can hit triples, they will be right in this one.
Michigan State is only favored by a couple of buckets, but it should be more. Winning on the road in conference isn't easy, and in a rivalry game it can be tough, but the Spartans are just the better team here. They'll also have the best player on the floor in Denzel Valentine.
Free Pick: Michigan State
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