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The Michigan State Spartans have zoomed up to the top of the national rankings and are looking like a championship contender. Michigan State has gotten off to a strong start in Big Ten play and will aim to add another conference victory in a road game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State has done well this season and should have a frenzied home court behind it, so this is one of the most likely losses Michigan State could face in conference play. However, the Spartans come in playing so well that they should be sizable favorites to take care of business.
Michigan State is looking like the clear favorite in the Big Ten and a key road win over Ohio State would strengthen their grip on the conference lead.
At 4:30 p.m. ET, tune into CBS for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at the Value City Arena.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Sunday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Ohio State is 12-4 straight up and 6-8 against the spread. The Buckeyes have played eight home games and have covered in three of them. Ohio State is 1-2 against the spread as the underdog.
Michigan State is 15-1 straight up and 11-5 against the spread this season. The Spartans have done well against the spread at home but failed to cover in its lone true road game this year, Michigan State has been favored in every game this season and will be so once again in this one.
Player to Watch
Keita Bates-Diop — Ohio State’s junior forward had 27 points and 13 rebounds in his team’s 92-81 win over Iowa on Thursday. He finished 10-of 17 from the field in the win.
Thursday marked Bates-Diop’s seventh double-double of the year and one of his best performances of the season. He will need another big showing in this matchup against Michigan State if the Buckeyes hope to keep it close.
Bates-Diop is averaging 18.7 points and 8.7 rebounds on the season and is the type of player capable of taking over games. He had 26 points against North Carolina a couple of weeks ago so he’s shown he can do it in big games, but with the way Michigan State is playing right now, this will still be quite a test for Bates-Diop and the rest of the Buckeyes.
Key Stat
21.7. That’s how many assists per game Michigan State is averaging this year. The Spartans rank No. 1 in the country with that mark and their plethora of firepower on offense is what makes this team so hard to beat.
The Spartans’ balanced offensive attack is what led to their big win over Maryland on Thursday night. The team had four players finish in double-digits in that win, including three with 15 points or more.
The Spartans’ point guard Cassius Winston is averaging a team-high 7.1 assists per game right now. He is one of the leaders on an offense that also features Miles Bridges, Nick Ward and Joshua Langford.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
Ohio State is a good team but Michigan State is elite. This one won’t be easy because of the location, and the Buckeyes indeed may give the Spartans one of their biggest scares of conference play. However, in the end, Michigan State’s dominant team should win out.
Take the Spartans to win this game although Ohio State could be the team to cover the spread if it is too large. Keep an eye on the moneyline because it could be enticing to take the Buckeyes if it pays off really well. It’s not likely to hit, but could be worth the risk.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Michigan State 81, Ohio State 77
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