Not only are the Spartans hot on the court with nine wins in their last 10 games, they’ve also been money at the betting window, covering the spread in each of those games. Sparty posted a 19-point win over Ohio State two weeks as a 7-point favorite and has covered twice when laying better than 20 points.
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HOW THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
It’s not entirely accurate to say Ohio State needs to win Saturday at No. 2 Michigan State to reach the NCAA Tournament. Even a win there might not be enough.
With one game remaining in the regular season and the Big Ten tournament looming, the Buckeyes are still in search of a crucial win – or two, or three – that would lift them onto the bubble. Should OSU leave the Breslin Center with a victory, though, it will at least be in the running for a final bracket spot.
The Buckeyes will enter their showdown with Sparty riding the high of a win over No. 8 Iowa. And they did it without arguably their best player in Jae’Sean Tate, who had surgery on a shoulder injury. Mickey Mitchell got the start in Tate’s place on Sunday, and while the numbers weren’t special, the energy level was much different.
As a group, the Buckeyes found a way to close out the Hawkeyes late and overcome a second-half deficit without their emotional leader. Marc Loving, the team’s leading scorer, dropped 25, with Keita Bates-Diop adding 19. OSU is faced with another challenge on the road, but the Buckeyes know they can win without Tate.
HOW THE MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Michigan State is playing its best basketball of the season. The Spartans have won nine of 10, including five straight by double digits. Included in that stretch is an 81-62 victory over Ohio State on Feb. 23 where the Spartans easily covered as a 7-point favorite.
While the Big Ten regular season title is out of reach, the Spartans will earn a double-bye in the conference’s upcoming tournament and the No. 2 seed with a win over the Buckeyes. Add the rival element, and there should be no shortage of excitement come Saturday.
The Spartans continue to play well offensively, averaging 85 points and hitting better than 50 percent of their three-point shots over the last eight games. The nation’s top three-point shooting team is led by the best three-point shooter. Bryn Forbes hit a Big Ten record 11 three’s Wednesday night and has made 58.8 percent in his last four games.
Coach Tom Izzo credits his senior class with keeping this year’s team focused and for mostly avoiding upset losses. He’ll ask them to do so again on Saturday with the group being honored on Senior Day.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
After Indiana clinched the regular season Big Ten title on Tuesday, the Spartans are focused on making a run through the postseason. They lead the nation in three-point percentage, assists, rebounding margin, and defensive field goal percentage. And that doesn’t bode well for Ohio State, who will try for a second straight win over a top-10 team without its leading scorer in conference games. Michigan State is a rare senior-dominated team, with Matt Costello, Denzel Valentine and Forbes all playing their final game at the Breslin Center. Coach Izzo has leaned on this group and they have yet to crumble. In all likelihood they won’t.
Michigan State 88, Ohio State 75
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