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The Michigan State Spartans take on the Illinois Fighting Illini. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Michigan State Illinois prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Michigan State Illinois.
The Michigan State Spartans defeated Michigan this past weekend and then won at Wisconsin earlier this week. Tom Izzo has turned things around for a team which looked very frail and vulnerable in mid-December. Michigan State went through a very tough stretch of games in which it got knocked around, losing to Notre Dame and Northwestern and simply not looking the part of an NCAA Tournament team. When one realizes that an early-season win over Villanova doesn't look nearly as good now as it did then, it was reasonable to question the Spartans before the Big Ten season roared into high gear in early January. Michigan State has answered the bell with an improved defense which has prevented opponents from getting on top of games. Michigan State hasn't faced big deficits and has been able to play at the pace it wants. MSU hasn't been chasing the game or desperately scrambling. The Spartans have been able to play methodically and not ask their players to do more than what they are capable of.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Michigan State-Illinois College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Michigan State-Illinois Odds
Michigan State Spartans: +6.5 (-110)
Illinois Fighting Illini: -6.5 (-110)
Over: 137.5 (-105)
Under: 137.5 (-115)
How To Watch Michigan State vs. Illinois
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports app
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET, 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch Michigan State-Illinois LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Michigan State Could Cover the Spread
The Illinois Fighting Illini lost in a blowout to Missouri and got shredded by Northwestern. They were in a very bad place in early January, but they have bounced back with wins over Wisconsin and Nebraska. Illinois is a highly volatile team with a lot of variance between its best self and its worst iteration. Illinois has beaten UCLA and Texas but lost at home to Penn State. Anything is possible anytime this team takes the court. That's the kind of team you don't want to trust in a betting context. Michigan State has won each of its last five games and is on a steady upward path under Old Reliable, Tom Izzo. Both teams have gone through difficult periods this season, but Illinois is the more erratic team. That's less trustworthy than an MSU squad which is rounding into form.
Why Illinois Could Cover the Spread
The Illini can be really bad at times. We have seen this team play very poorly against Missouri and Northwestern and Penn State. However, when Illinois is good, it can compete with any team in the country. The Illini become really hard to beat when Coleman Hawkins is hitting shots. That opens up the floor and puts teammates Matthew Mayer and Terrence Shannon in positions to succeed. Illinois dominated Wisconsin for most of last weekend's game and then crushed Nebraska. You might say that Nebraska isn't very good. Fair point, but Nebraska did beat Iowa by 16 and did beat Creighton by 10. Nebraska is no pushover, and yet Illinois walloped the Huskers on the road. Illinois, having beaten UCLA and Texas, owns two of the very best wins in the country. That's a level of upside Michigan State can't match.
Final Michigan State-Illinois Prediction & Pick
Stay away from this game, but if you absolutely insist on a pick, lean to Michigan State.
Final Michigan State-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Michigan State +6.5
