The Michigan State Spartans are in unfamiliar territory entering Sunday afternoon's clash against the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines in the regular-season finale for both teams. Not only will the Spartans (14-11, 8-11 Big Ten) be attempting to avenge a lopsided loss to the Wolverines on Thursday, but they may need a victory to extend their streak of 22 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Michigan (19-2, 14-2) rebounded from a drubbing by fourth-ranked Illinois to clinch the Big Ten regular-season title with Thursday's 69-50 victory over Michigan State.
Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. ET at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Wolverines as eight-point favorites in the latest Michigan vs. Michigan State odds, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 137.5. Before making any Michigan State vs. Michigan picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned over $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Michigan vs. Michigan State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Michigan State vs. Michigan:
- Michigan vs. Michigan State spread: Wolverines -8
- Michigan vs. Michigan State over-under: 137.5 points
- Michigan vs. Michigan State money line: Michigan -360, Michigan State +285
- MICH: The Wolverines are 6-1 on the road this season
- MSU: The 22 straight NCAA appearances by the Spartans marks the longest run in Big Ten history
Why Michigan can cover
One of the biggest disparities between the teams is at the 3-point line. Michigan thrives behind the arc, ranking No. 13 in the country and second in the Big Ten at 39.0 percent as opposed to 32.2 percent for the Spartans, which is good for 12th in the conference. Second-leading scorer Isaiah Livers is averaging 13.9 points and has connected on at least three 3-pointers in seven of the past 11 games.
The Wolverines, who rank in the top 10 nationally in field goal percentage defense at 37.2 percent, limited the Spartans to 36.4 percent shooting and held them to an 0-for-9 performance from 3-point range on Thursday. They have kept their opponents under 60 points in seven of the last 12 games. Freshman center Hunter Dickinson had a double-double against the Spartans on Thursday (14 points, 10 rebounds) and averages a team-high 14.8 points and 7.8 boards.
Why Michigan State can cover
Junior forward Aaron Henry scored a team-high 14 points on Thursday to mark the 23rd time he has scored in double figures this season, including the past 12 games. He is one of only two players in Division I that is averaging at least 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 blocks. Henry has carried the Spartans down the stretch, averaging 18.2 points and 5.6 boards while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor in the last 11 games.
Senior guard Joshua Langford, the only other player besides Henry averaging in double figures (10.0), struggled to six points on 2-of-10 shooting in Thursday's setback. He scored in double figures in 11 of the previous 15 games and is shooting 38.0 percent from behind the arc at home as opposed to 31.1 on the road. The Spartans, who are 11-3 at home, entered the weekend tied for No. 13 nationally with 121 blocked shots.
How to make Michigan State vs. Michigan picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams combine for 142 points. It also says one side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan vs. Michigan State? And which side of the spread hits in nearly 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Michigan State vs. Michigan spread to jump on Sunday, all from the advanced computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
