A struggling Michigan State team welcomes Butler to East Lansing in a Friday night college basketball game. It is time to continue our college basketball odds series with a Butler-Michigan State prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

Butler and Michigan State are on opposite ends of the spectrum this season. Butler is 3-0 to start the year, and their offense is clicking efficiently. They have scored 94, 91, and 81 points in their three wins. Butler is a brand new team from last season, as only three players are returning from that squad. They have 11 new faces in the locker room, but the chemistry is already there. The offense runs through their guards, with Posh Alexander and DJ Davis leading the team. Both players are averaging 13.7 points. Transfer guard Pierre Brooks knows about playing in East Lansing, as he spent his last two seasons at Michigan State. He is averaging 13.3 points and four rebounds per game.

Coming into the year, Michigan State was the fourth-ranked team in the nation. They opened the season with a heartbreaking loss to James Madison University. They bounced back with a win over Southern Indiana but lost to Duke on Tuesday. One of Michigan State's strengths coming into the season was their shooting, but the team is 8-50 from three-point range. A.J. Hoggard is also a part of the problem, only managing 15 points in three games. He reached a low on Tuesday night when he had only two points against Duke.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: Butler-Michigan State Odds

Butler: +10.5 (-118)

Michigan State: -10.5 (-104)

Over: 139.5 (-102)

Under: 139.5 (-120)

How to Watch Butler vs. Michigan State 

Time: 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT

TV: Fox Sports 1

Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why Butler Will Cover The Spread

Butler wasn't supposed to be a threat in Thad Matta's second season with the team. They were trying to rebuild the roster after losing 18 games last season. Matta wasn't messing around in the transfer portal this season, getting rid of his five leading scorers. He replaced them with Posh Alexander, DJ Davis, and Pierre Brooks, scoring a team-leading 13 points per game. It is a personal revenge game for Brooks, as he is a Michigan native and played two years at Michigan State. Brooks entered the transfer portal due to falling out of Tom Izzo's rotation, meaning he will be motivated tonight.

Butler's defense has been the talk of the town. They are an above-average defense overall and are ranked second in the nation in the opponent's two-point percentage allowed. The Michigan State offense is the team's downfall this season. They are 16% from three-point range, and Tyson Walker is their only bright spot. This makes Butler a scary matchup for the Spartans, as they are struggling from three-point range and have to contend with the second-best two-point defense in the country.

Why Michigan State Will Cover The Spread

If Michigan State hadn't lost to James Madison University to start the season, their loss against Duke wouldn't be under as much scrutiny. They shot 6 of 19 from three-point range and lost by nine points. Michigan State could have made the game closer if a couple more three-pointers had gone through the hoop. Duke had an 11-point lead after the first half, but Michigan State won the second half 45-43. Michigan State putting up 20 points in the first half was devastating for Tom Izzo, but a 45-point second half may show that the Spartans are figuring out how to turn it around. Duke also held a 24-7 edge on made free throws.

Tyson Walker leads the team with 23.7 points per game on 54% shooting. He is also shooting 33.3% from three-point range. He is the lone threat from three-point land, but the Spartans are due for some positive regression in that area. Butler is an effective two-point defensive team, but Walker can expose them as a guard. Butler's defensive prowess has come against Eastern Michigan, Southeast Missouri State, and East Tennessee State. Any college basketball team is a threat, but Butler wasn't tested to the limit against these teams. The Butler defense may be better than last year, but they haven't faced athletes like Michigan State will put on the floor.

Final Butler-Michigan State Prediction & Pick

There are plenty of reasons not to believe in the Michigan State Spartans. James Madison University beating the Spartans in East Lansing may have been enough to lose trust in Michigan State for the rest of the season. However, the Spartans are known for slow starts. Their second half against Duke felt like a team starting to figure it out on the offensive end. Duke outscored them by 17 points from the free throw line and led the game by 11 at the end of the first half, but Michigan State kept within nine points.

Butler is being praised for their 3-0 start and shutdown defense. They have over 80 points in all three games, showing they can do it on either end of the floor. Butler's three opponents have been Eastern Michigan, Southeast Missouri State, and East Tennessee State. The Spartans may bring them back down to earth in tonight's game. Everyone will think Butler can pull off the upset here due to the team's start to the season, but this is a perfect opportunity for Michigan State to show some positive regression in their shooting and cover this spread.

Final Butler-Michigan State Prediction & Pick: Michigan State -10.5 (-110)