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The Mississippi State Bulldogs take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Mississippi State Minnesota prediction and pick.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs needed a fresh start. Coach Ben Howland got them to the NCAA Tournament a few years ago but couldn't consistently bring the Bulldogs to March Madness, so the school let him go and opted for a change. The choice as the new head coach was Chris Jans, who had done an excellent job at New Mexico State, a stepping-stone job to Power Five or other high-profile jobs in the country. New Mexico State has been a relentlessly consistent program in the Western Athletic Conference, but success there isn't automatic. One coach comes in, another coach leaves. It takes work and communication to keep a program rolling. Plenty of programs have decades of success and then hire a coach who allows the winning tradition to evaporate. Jans was not that guy at New Mexico State. He deserved his shot at a bigger job. He has it. So far, he has made the most of it.
Mississippi State is 8-0, playing very strong defense and winning a quality game against Marquette, a team which defeated Notre Dame earlier on Sunday. Marquette also beat Baylor by 26 points, so the ability of MSU to handle Shaka Smart's team says a lot about the job Jans is doing in Starkville. This is another game Mississippi State needs to win if it wants to make a push to the NCAA Tournament. Life is only going to get tougher once MSU plays in the SEC, so the Bulldogs need to bank wins now and fortify their resume. Losing to Minnesota would damage the resume.
The Golden Gophers aren't doing too well this season.
Minnesota is looking for answers, and coach Ben Johnson has to figure something out quickly. The Golden Gophers are 4-5 after losing four of their past five games, none of which have been particularly close (UNLV by nine is the closest outcome of the bunch). Michigan hammered Minnesota this past week in Minneapolis even though the Wolverines were playing without their starting point guard. That was an alarming result for the Gophers, who should have at least been able to create a competitive game but were unable to do so. Minnesota was a 4.5-point underdog but lost by 15 in a game which really wasn't that close. It's an urgent time for the Golden Gophers just five weeks into their season. They need a result which will build confidence heading into the heart of Big Ten play.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Mississippi State-Minnesota College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Mississippi State-Minnesota Odds
Mississippi State Bulldogs: -6.5 (-118)
Minnesota Golden Gophers: +6.5 (-104)
Over: 126.5 (-105)
Under: 126.5 (-115)
Why Mississippi State Could Cover the Spread
The Chris Jans effect is real. A team going 8-0 through eight games is a really promising start. This team should feel very confident heading into Minnesota against a struggling opponent. MSU plays great defense, and Minnesota has an offense the Bulldogs should be able to lock down.
Why Minnesota Could Cover the Spread
The Golden Gophers have to play better. It's hard to imagine how the Gophers could possibly play worse in recent days. If only due to regression to the mean, Minnesota should play a lot better here and cover.
Final Mississippi State-Minnesota Prediction & Pick
Don't overthink this. Mississippi State is playing well and Minnesota is not. That's it. That's the tweet.
Final Mississippi State-Minnesota Prediction & Pick: Mississippi State -6.5
