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Our coverage of Sunday's College Basketball action continues with another prediction and pick for a tight matchup in the Big Ten Conference. The surging Michigan State Spartans (9-5, 1-2 Big Ten) will visit the tested Northwestern Wildcats (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) in an exciting tilt for both schools. Check out our College Basketball odds series for our Michigan State-Northwestern prediction and pick.
The Michigan State Spartans began their season ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation and saw an immediate lack to meet preseason expectations. However, we all know Tom Izzo is just testing his guys and the Spartans have responded by winning their last five consecutive games, all by sizable margins. They'll head into this matchup with Northwestern looking to do the same.
The Northwestern Wildcats are 1-1 in the Big Ten after shocking No. 1 Purdue with a 92-88 win at home. They couldn't find a similar result when facing No. 9 Illinois in their last contest as they dropped the road game 66-96. Still, the Wildcats are a dangerous team to look out for and they'll have the Spartans on upset alert with the home crowd behind them.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Michigan State-Northwestern Odds
Michigan State: -2.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -160
Northwestern: +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +135
Over: 134.5 (-110)
Under: 134.5 (-110)
How to Watch Michigan State vs. Northwestern
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT
TV: Big Ten Network, fuboTV
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Michigan State Will Cover The Spread
The Spartans definitely had a rocky start to the season with their early losses to James Madison, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, but the Spartans have since turned the tide and are looking like their dominant selves once again. Spartans' fans knew the adjusted lineup would take some getting used to as players like Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard step into more prominent leadership roles. They were waiting all season for Malik Hall to find his rhythm and he finally got there, matching a career-high 24 points as MSU steamrolled Penn State. When they're playing at their full potential, the Spartans are one of the deepest teams in the country.
Michigan State stumbled out of the gates with two losses in Big Ten play, so this game will be a critical test for them to go on the road and prove themselves against another hot team. They've been playing their best basketball of the season over these last five games and their three-point shooting has finally come around to match the pace of their play style. The one hole the Spartans will need to patch up is their free throw shooting percentage, which sits at a lackluster 70% as a team.
Why Northwestern Will Cover The Spread
The Northwestern Wildcats have been a pleasant surprise this season with their hot start and they immediately put themselves on the national radar after taking down No. 1 Purdue. Boo Buie has been the engine that's kept them running all season and he stands to have another big game if the Michigan State defense doesn't tighten up the paint against him. He does a great job of slashing to the hoop and he's adding a solid 35% from three as well – look for him to have a big game against the Spartans.
To beat Michigan State, Northwestern will have to come out firing from the open tip and try to catch the Spartans sleeping early. Michigan State is almost unbeatable in their home arena this season, but they've been known to come out slow in opposing buildings. They've also had trouble mounting comebacks when falling down early, so the Wildcats would benefit most from jumping out to a lead as early as possible. If they can force Michigan State to shoot the ball from deep and survive with the three, their offensive spark could be enough to carry them through this game.
Final Michigan State-Northwestern Prediction & Pick
This game will be determined by how the first 10 minutes are played between these two teams. Michigan State is playing their best basketball of the season right now, but much of that has been due to their long home-stand and drop in competition. Their win over Baylor gave them a ton of confidence and they should be the better team heading into this one.
However, if Northwestern can jump out to an early lead and force MSU to shoot the three, they could have enough momentum to not allow the Spartans back into the game. Still, we'll take Michigan State for our prediction as Tom Izzo primes his team for a true road test in the Big Ten.
Final Michigan State-Northwestern Prediction & Pick: Michigan State Spartans ML (-160)
