No. 13 Ohio State takes on a wayward Michigan State team at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, January 31. This game tips at 1:00 p.m. ET, when the Spartans will do everything they can to right the ship.
While Tom Izzo’s team is struggling, this game should still be extremely competitive — all Big Ten games seemingly are. With that said, keep reading our Michigan State vs. Ohio State picks and predictions to find out the right way to attack this one.
Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview
Key Injuries
Michigan State: G Davis Smith (questionable), F Gabe Brown (out)
Ohio State: G Jimmy Sotos (out), F Ibrahima Diallo (out), G Abel Porter (out)
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Michigan State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games coming off a straight-up loss of at least 20 points. Find more NCAA betting trends for Michigan State vs. Ohio State.
NCAAB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonOhio State opened a 7.5-point favorite Saturday afternoon at FanDuel, then moved to -6.5 overnight and back to -7.5 earlier this morning. But 30 minutes before tipoff, the Buckeyes are down to -5.5 while taking 70 percent of bets and 66 percent of money on the point spread. Likewise, the total is down two points, from 143.5 to 141.5, with 58 percent of bets and 62 percent of cash on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
Michigan State has won four in a row in this head-to-head series, and the Spartans are also 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 meetings with the Buckeyes. No matter who is on the sidelines for Ohio State, Tom Izzo has just had their number. It’s also worth noting that the four-game winning streak for Michigan State has also seen them winning by an average of just over 11 points per game.
This year, the Spartans are not as good as a normal Izzo team, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising if they started to figure some things out moving forward. This is still a talented basketball team, with skilled players inside and out. Rocket Watts and Joshua Langford are both better than they’ve played this season, as both guys are solid offensively and are shooting below 40.0 percent from the field. If Michigan State is going to compete in this game, both will need to play well, but they should be able to do just that. For as good as this Buckeyes team can be, they are just 70th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency (all efficiency stats according to KenPom.com).
So, the Spartans, who are mediocre offensively, might be able to score the basketball in this one. Keep an eye out for Joey Hauser, who is averaging 11.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this year. He’s a versatile offensive threat.
On top of everything else, Izzo is 12-4 ATS when coming off back-to-back games in which his team scored 60 points or less.
PREDICTION: Michigan State +7.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
This matchup features two teams that aren’t all that good defensively, and the Buckeyes are a Top-5 offense in all of college basketball. Ohio State is going to have some success against a mediocre Michigan State defense, but look for the Spartans to do their part in this one. They have really struggled offensively, but Izzo is going to make some adjustments and have them prepared for this test.
PREDICTION: Over 143.5 (-110)
Michigan State vs Ohio State Betting Card
- Michigan State +7.5 (-110)
- Over 143.5 (-110)
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