The Michigan State Spartans (14-4) visit the Indiana Hoosiers (14-4) Thursday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. The Big Ten battle tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Michigan State-Indiana odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.
Michigan State at Indiana: Three things you need to know
1. Michigan State has been playing at a high level on both sides of the ball since losing 87-75 to Duke Dec. 3. The Spartans are 9-1 since the loss with rock-solid game control figures in all nine wins. Field-goal defense, defense along the 3-point arc and rebounding have been areas where MSU has excelled the most. It must be noted just two of those 10 games were on the road: Dec. 18 at Northwestern was an against-the-spread loss; the other, Jan. 12 at Purdue, was a straight-up loss.
2. The Spartans lead the nation in assists (19.1 per game) and assist percentage (68.7). That string passing game has yielded quality looks for starters and reserves alike. Senior G Cassius Winston (18.1 points per game) is MSU’s leading scorer, but there is a lot of efficient depth below him on the scoring rolls. Eight Spartans with 10 or more games played own a higher effective field-goal rate — a measure accounting for 3-pointers — than Winston’s 49.2%.
3. Indiana leads the nation in free throws attempted per game (26.1). The Hoosiers rank third in free throws made per contest (17.8). Look for IU’s performance at the line and from beyond the arc to loom large in this matchup.
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Michigan State at Indiana: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:35 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Michigan State 72, Indiana 68
Moneyline (ML)
There was no moneyline available at the time of publishing.
Against the Spread (ATS)
The Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against winning teams. The Spartans covered the spread in six of their last seven such games.
Sparty’s 3-point defense (28.1% — 8th NCAA-I), offensive depth, and trend toward fewer free throws allowed are compelling factors. The line here — MICHIGAN STATE -2.5 (-129) — is generous but at a premium. That’s certainly the lean.
Over/Under (O/U)
The Under is 10-2 in MSU’s last 12 road games against teams with a home winning percentage greater than .600, 6-2 over the Spartans’ last eight road games and 6-0 in Indiana’s last six games against teams winning at a .600-clip or better.
Head coach Tom Izzo‘s Spartans have been playing low-tempo games of late, and MSU can take away a couple key Hoosier edges on offense. Take the UNDER 142.5 (-110).
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