Michigan State (16-4) at Maryland (11-10)
When: Tuesday, February 1st 2022
Where: FINITY Center,
College Park, MD
Time: 7:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Michigan State -4.5/138.5
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The Michigan State Spartans weren’t expected to compete for a Big Ten title this season, but head coach Tom Izzo has his boys rolling. The Spartans will look to keep the momentum going when they travel to College Park to take on the Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday night. Michigan State enters the week just a half-game behind both Wisconsin and Illinois for first place in the Big Ten and the Spartans only two conference losses came by a combined three points. They went out and took care of rival Michigan on Saturday 83-67 and will bring their 4-1 road record into Maryland.
The Terrapins have had an awful season and won’t be around come Selection Sunday. Things got even worse on Saturday. Maryland, who saw coach Mark Turgeon step down after a 5-3 start, made a season-low 28.6 percent of its field goal attempts and 27 of their 56 shots came from 3-point territory. The Terps are also getting nothing from the bench. In 42 minutes, the reserves managed just three points in a 68-55 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. Maryland has won three of the last four meetings with Michigan State and are 3-1 ATS in that stretch.
Michigan State rebounded from a tough 56-55 at Illinois last week to easily dispatch the Wolverines. The bench has been doing a great job lately for the Spartans, who outscored the Michigan reserves 33-6 on Saturday. Malik Hall (15 points, six rebounds) and A.J. Hoggard (11 points, 10 assists) led the bench play, while starters Max Christie and Joey Hauser combined for 30 points and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Three-point shooting has been great for the Spartans this season. They are ninth in the country at 39.1 percent after making 9-of-18 on Saturday. Michigan State, who will play at Rutgers on Saturday, is 6-4 against the spread in its last 10 games overall.
Maryland got things back on track with wins over Illinois and Rutgers, but had nothing against the Hoosiers on Saturday. Their top three scorers, Eric Ayala, Fatts Russell and Donta Scott, shot a combined 20 percent (4-of-20) from beyond the arc and 19.4 percent overall (6-for-31). Maryland is one of the worst offensive teams in the country, ranking 215th in effective field goal percentage, 208th in points (70.1) and 267th in 3-point percentage (31.9). Ayala, who averages 15.8 points a game, scored just six in the Hoosiers game. Maryland will next play at Ohio State on Sunday.
Michigan State’s defense is way too strong for this inept Maryland offense. It’s tough to win on the road, but the Spartans should easily get the job done here.
Pick: Michigan State -4.5
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