Michigan State (14-4) at Indiana (14-4)
When: Thursday, January 23rd, 2020
Where: Assembly Hall,
Bloomington, IN
Time: 8:30 ET | TV: FS1
Opening Odds: Michigan State -3/142
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The Michigan State Spartans have won nine of their last 10 games, but their lone road game in their past seven went horribly wrong and they hope to avoid a repeat on Thursday. The Spartans visit Bloomington, Indiana and the Hoosiers in a key Big Ten matchup. Michigan State sits atop the Big Ten standings at 6-1, just a half-game ahead of surprising Illinois, while Indiana looks to stay in the race and puts their 11-1 home mark on the line. The Spartans are coming off a home win over Wisconsin last Friday night after losing by 29 points at Purdue the game before – just their third true road game of the season. Indiana earned their first true road win of the season last time out when they won 82-74 over a struggling Nebraska squad, getting 15 points and seven rebounds from junior forward Justin Smith. The teams have played just once in each of the past two seasons with Indiana winning and covering the spread in both. Last year’s contest was a 63-62 Indiana triumph in Bloomington as 6-point underdogs.
Senior guard Cassius Winston is the heart-and-soul of this Michigan State squad and leads the team in points (18.1) and assists (6.1), while junior forward Xavier Tillman is the only other double-digit scorer at 13.9 points. Tillman leads the Spartans in rebounding (10.0) and blocked shots (2.1). Michigan State leads the nation in assists (19.1 per game) despite still missing senior guard Joshua Langford. Freshman Rocket Watts has taken his place as the long range shooter and made 3-of-5 from long distance versus Wisconsin as part of his 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench. The Spartans have another tough road game on Sunday when they visit The Barn and Minnesota.
Freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis leads four players averaging double-figures at 14.2 points while also being the team’s leading rebounder (8.2). Jackson-Davis also ranks second in the country in field goal percentage (63.4), while junior forward Justin Smith is coming off a 15-point, seven-rebound effort against Nebraska. Devonte Green (11.1) and Al Durham (10.5) are next on the Indiana scoring list, but the former has scored only a total of just three points in the past two games on 1-of-10 shooting. Durham has not shot very well either, going 3-for-15 over his past two contests and has turned the ball over nine times in the last three games. Indiana will host Maryland on Sunday.
I like this Indiana team, but Michigan State is just better at both ends of the floor. Tom Izzo will have his troops ready for a tough road game. Take the Spartans.
Pick: Michigan State -3
Spartans are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
Spartans are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite.
Spartans are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Spartans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
Spartans are 25-8 ATS in their last 33 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Spartans are 45-20-1 ATS in their last 66 Thursday games.
Spartans are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Spartans are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Spartans are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite.
Hoosiers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.
Hoosiers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Hoosiers are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games as a home underdog.
Hoosiers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Hoosiers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
Hoosiers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.
Under is 10-2 in Spartans last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 4-1 in Spartans last 5 overall.
Under is 4-1 in Spartans last 5 games as a favorite.
Under is 10-3 in Spartans last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 9-3 in Spartans last 12 games as a road favorite.
Under is 6-2 in Spartans last 8 road games.
Under is 5-2 in Spartans last 7 Thursday games.
Under is 17-7-1 in Spartans last 25 games following a ATS win.
Under is 35-16-2 in Spartans last 53 games following a straight up win.
Over is 15-7-1 in Spartans last 23 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 17-8-1 in Spartans last 26 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 4-0 in Hoosiers last 4 games following a straight up win.
Under is 6-0 in Hoosiers last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 6-1 in Hoosiers last 7 overall.
Under is 5-1 in Hoosiers last 6 games as a home underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Hoosiers last 5 games as an underdog.
Over is 4-1 in Hoosiers last 5 Thursday games.
Under is 9-4 in Hoosiers last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 11-5 in Hoosiers last 16 games following a ATS win.
Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
