Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview

Two of the top basketball programs in the Big Ten Conference meet up on Sunday when the No. 13 Ohio State Buckeyes host the Michigan State Spartans. It has been a strange year for both teams up to this point, but these two teams have delivered some terrific games in recent years.

Michigan State returned to the floor Thursday night after a long break due to COVID-19. The Spartans are just 2-5 so far in Big Ten Conference action and are in 13th place in the league standings. 

Ohio State has won five of its last six games and is climbing up the standings in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes currently sit in fourth place in the Big Ten with a 7-4 record, but they need to continue stacking wins.

Ohio State is a seven-point favorite over Michigan State in this Big Ten showdown. 

Spartans Struggling to Score

The Spartans are averaging 73 points per game, but they put up just 37 points on Thursday night in a loss to Rutgers. Three-point shooting has been an issue all season long, but the Spartans should look better on that end of the floor Sunday.

Aaron Henry leads the team with 13.4 points per game, but head coach Tom Izzo needs him to take over in this game. Joey Hauser has chipped in with more than 11 points per game, but the Spartans were expecting more from the transfer.

This Michigan State squad does not resemble many from years past, but there is still time to turn things around. 

Buckeyes Have Some Depth

The Buckeyes have been playing great basketball of late, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Ohio State is now scoring 77 points per game, and it has plenty of weapons that can take over.

E.J. Liddell leads the team with 15.0 points per game, and Duane Washington Jr. has chipped in with 14.9 points per game. Both players are veterans that know what it takes to win important games in the Big Ten Conference.

Ohio State has been giving up points lately, and that could allow Michigan State to figure some things out on offense. The Buckeyes want to play fast, but they also need to focus on the defensive end of the floor. 

Spartans Stun Buckeyes

Michigan State will be a desperate team on Sunday, which is a scary proposition for Ohio State. The Spartans are too good to continue to struggle, and they are going to figure things out at some point. 

Ohio State has been up and down throughout the season, and that could allow Michigan State to hang around on Sunday. The Buckeyes are clearly the better team, but the Big Ten Conference has had some interesting results this season.

Look for Michigan State to figure some things out as they stun the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday. Bet the Spartans moneyline as they snap a long skid with a win over Ohio State.

For more Dunkel Index college basketball picks, check out our NCAA basketball picks page.