No. 5 Michigan State Spartans at No. 20 Indiana Hoosiers
Tuesday, 2/28/12, 7:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Michigan State -2
Current Betting Line: Michigan State -2
Opening Total: 139
Current Total: 139
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Michigan State travels to Indiana for its final Big Ten Conference road game of the year, coming off a 62-34 blowout win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers as 17.5-point home favorites. The Spartans have gone “under” the total in two consecutive games, but have managed to go “over” in the last two meetings in this particular series. Senior forward Draymond Green is the player to watch offensively, averaging 15.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while registering a conference-best 16 double-doubles this year. Michigan STate is 12-4 ATS versus conference opponents this year.
The Spartans have clinched at least a share of their 13th regular-season Big Ten Championship, entering this contest with a 7-3 record in true road games. Michigan State has been led by its stingy defense when playing away from East Lansing, allowing opponents to shoot just 37.6 percent from the field overall, including 27.7 percent from beyond the arc. The program is 6-3 against ranked opponents this season, which is the most wins in the nation. Spartans head coach Tom Izzo has compiled a solid 18-10 record in this series, bringing in a six-game win streak, which is an all-time best.
Indiana is the most improved team among major conference programs with a plus-10 in the win column from the previous season, as it comes off a 69-50 win over the Minnesota Gophers as one-point road underdogs. The Hoosiers finished their road schedule with a 6-6 record, which is a vast improvement from the 1-30 mark they accumulated during the Tom Crean era before the 2011-12 campaign started. Indiana is 8-3 ATS at home this season and the “over” is 7-4 in that situation.
The Hoosiers are one of the best offensive teams in the country, ranking third nationally in shooting 42.6 percent from beyond the arc, while leading all conference teams in scoring 77.6 points per game. Indiana will certainly be seeking revenge from an embarrassing 80-65 loss in its first meeting as six-point road underdogs against Michigan State. The two teams have alternated covers in the last five meetings overall. Freshman Cody Zeller is definitely a player to watch offensively, leading the team in averaging 15.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Bettors will likely back the Spartans due to their 6-1 ATS mark in the last seven games, while the Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS at home versus winning road teams.
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