Michigan State vs Wisconsin Betting Odds – Badgers ride home crowd, turnovers to big win over Spartans
NCAA Basketball Odds: Pick Wisconsin |
The Super Bowl odds may be the main topic of concersation but college basketball will be the story throughout the week. Online betting players have watched Michigan State win their first nine games in Big Ten play, including a tough win over surprising Wisconsin in January. The two hook up once against at Wisconsin, where the Spartans have struggled lately, and even though the Badgers are missing a very important piece, their defense will force Michigan State to be sloppy with the ball
| WHAT: NCAA basketball betting |
| WHEN: Tuesday, February 2, 9:00 PM ET |
| WHERE: Kohl Center, Madison, WI |
| KEY STAT: Michigan State has lost six in a row at Wisconsin |
The Storyline: Michigan State vs Wisconsin Betting Odds
The Spartans (19-3, 9-0) are in pole position in the Big Ten after beating Northwestern 79-70 for their 10th straight win. The Badgers (16-5, 6-3) came up just short in a 60-57 loss at Purdue, and they’re aiming to avenge a 54-47 loss to the Spartans at Michigan State on January 6th. These two have actually split their last 10 meetings, but Michigan State has won the last two.
Offensive Matchups: Michigan State vs Wisconsin Betting Odds
Michigan State isn’t an offensive juggernaut by any means, but they’re efficient, coming in 22nd in the country in field-goal percentage. Kalin Lucas has 20 points or more in three of his last five games, but it’s the play of Raymar Morgan that has coach Tom Izzo excited. The forward is averaging 16.8 points in his last four outings after a slow start, and if the Spartans are going to be successful in March, Morgan will have a lot to say about it. The Spartans also need to take care of the ball, coming in 214th in turnovers.
Betting Edge: Michigan State
Defensive Matchups: Michigan State vs Wisconsin Betting Odds
The reason that the Spartans are annually a sportsbook favorite, both nationally and in the Big Ten, is their defense, and this year is no exception. The Spartans lead the country in rebounding margin, and even though they don’t have many steals or blocks, not many teams are going to make it tougher to get to the basket. The Spartans have four players who are averaging 5.2 boards or more.
The Badgers are sixth in the nation in scoring defense, but the loss of Leuer robs them of their best rebounder and shotblocker, and he probably would have given Wisconsin the edge in the post. Like Michigan State, the Badgers know that defense is a team game, and with Leuer out, they’ll need to prove that more.
Betting Edge: Draw
Coaching Matchup: Michigan State vs Wisconsin Betting Odds
Tom Izzo is still asking more of his team, as the Spartans don’t have a killer instinct quite yet, meaning that they can’t put teams away. But still, Michigan State is a direct reflection of Izzo: tough, mean, unforgiving and most importantly, a winner.
Bo Ryan has made the NCAA Tournament in all eight years in Madison, but no one really expected the Badgers to challenge this year. Ryan relishes his matchups with Izzo and Michigan State, so he won’t be intimidated.
Betting Edge: Michigan State
Betting Prediction: Michigan State vs Wisconsin Betting Odds
The NCAA basketball lines for this game will be very small, but look for Wisconsin to be the home favorites as the Spartans have lost six in a row in Madison. The Spartans have also struggled on the road against good teams, losing at North Carolina and Texas already, and the Badgers are 12-0 at home. The Badgers need to pressure Lucas because the Spartans have shown that they have trouble handling the ball, and that’ll be the key for Wisconsin: keep their mistakes to a minimum, while forcing turnovers out of the Spartans.
Washington’s Pick: Wisconsin
Bookmark the Betting Edge at BetOnline to get Washington’s best sports betting picks as we head towards the Final Four in Indianapolis.
