The Michigan State Spartans lost their first conference game last time out and are itching to get back on the court. They will do so on Saturday in a home game against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Spartans are clearly the superior team and have the location advantage so the oddsmakers are likely to make them comfortable favorites.
Michigan State is in a two-team race with Michigan for Big Ten supremacy and can’t afford any slip-ups. Indiana has really struggled of late and a berth in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament seems like a longshot unless it can start springing some upsets.
This would certainly be one but it’s unlikely in NCAA basketball betting.
This NCAA basketball game between the Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan State Spartans will be held at the Breslin Center in Lansing, Michigan at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 2nd, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NCAA basketball season.
Odds Analysis
Indiana has a record of 12-9 on the season. The Hoosiers did decently in the non-conference slate and started off hot in Big Ten play but has hit a huge skid. Indiana enters this game losers of seven consecutive conference games. The Hoosiers haven’t won since knocking off Illinois in early January. Indiana was ranked No. 21 nationally at the time but has fallen out of the rankings and now maybe out of the March Madness conversation.
Michigan State is 18-3 overall and 9-1 in conference play, which is tied with Michigan for first place. The Spartans fell to the Purdue Boilermakers last time out but that seems like a blip and not a real concern. The Spartans have not lost a home game this season and will aim to keep that record intact in NCAA basketball wagering.
Injury Report
Michigan State is dealing with some significant injury woes heading into this one. It was recently announced that guard Joshua Langford is done for the season with a stress fracture in his foot. He had missed several games but the team was holding out hope he could get back on the court at some point. Instead, surgery seems likely and Langford will not play again this year. It’s a big loss as he was averaging 15.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Freshman Aaron Henry has seen his role expand in Langford’s absence and he should be a critical component the rest of the way. Michigan State junior forward Kyle Ahrens is dealing with a back injury that has kept him shelved in three of the team’s past five games, including the Purdue loss. He isn’t a huge piece but is a nice rotational player.
Player To Watch
Romeo Langford -- The Hoosiers won’t have much of a chance if their top scorer doesn’t play well. Langford is averaging 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season, impressive numbers for a freshman. He is shooting 47.3 percent from the floor for the season but has struggled of late.
Langford has not shot higher than 40 percent in any of the team’s past five games. He is just 10-for-32 over the past two games. Michigan State is superior and Langford has to be efficient to help his team stay close.
Free NCAA Basketball ATS Picks
The Spartans may have some injuries but they are still deep and talented. Look for Michigan State to get back on track with an easy home win. It is the better team and the crowd should be raucous. Indiana does not have the players to stay close in this one, so consider the Spartans even if the spread is sizable in NCAA basketball gambling.
NCAA Basketball Pick: Michigan State Spartans 76, Indiana Hoosiers 60
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