In today’s Big Ten college basketball matchup, the Michigan State Spartans are taking on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Let’s take a look at the top college basketball betting picks and betting trends, then give our Michigan State vs Rutgers prediction for the game today.
Michigan State vs Rutgers Game Info
No. 13 Michigan State Spartans (17-4, 8-2 Big Ten) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-9, 6-5 Big Ten)
Date: Saturday, February 5, 2022
Time: 4 PM ET
Venue: Jersey Mike’s Arena — Piscataway, NJ
Coverage: FS1
Michigan State vs Rutgers College Basketball Betting Picks and Odds
All Michigan State vs Rutgers college basketball betting odds can be found at BetOnline
Moneyline: MSU: (-125) | RUTG: (+105)
Point Spread: MSU: -2 (-110) | RUTG: +2 (-110)
Total: 133 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
Michigan State vs Rutgers College Basketball Betting Preview
The Spartans have won their last two games although they didn’t earn many style points for their most recent win. A Malik Hall layup with four seconds left rescued the Spartans from blowing a 14-point second half lead to unranked Maryland. For as dynamic as the Spartans can be with their incredible depth, they still struggle to find a player who can be a consistent scorer every night. On nights when scoring by committee isn’t working, the Spartans struggle to generate much offense. In a tough road environment where many great teams have fallen in the past, Michigan State will need to be at their best to be able to win and tie Illinois for first in the Big Ten standings.
Rutgers is a hard team to figure out this season. They knocked off then #1 Purdue at home earlier this year but have struggled with much worse opponents. The Scarlet Knights find themselves in the middle of the Big Ten standings due to an average at best offense. Rutgers averages over 67 points per game but also allows just under 65 points per game. The Scarlet Knights aren’t bad at any one thing, but they aren’t very good at any one thing either. As a result, this team has a tough time finding consistency on a nightly basis.
Michigan State vs Rutgers College Basketball Betting Trends
- Michigan State is 5-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last 6 road games.
- The OVER is 8-4 in Michigan State’s last 12 games.
- Michigan State is 2-5 against the spread (ATS) in their last 7 games against Rutgers.
- The UNDER is 5-2 in Rutgers’ last 7 games.
- Rutgers is 1-4 straight up in their last 5 home games against Michigan State.
Michigan State vs Rutgers Prediction | College Basketball Betting Picks
It’s odd to see a spread so small in a game between a ranked and unranked opponent. It’s equally puzzling that depending on the site, the spread varies by multiple points. That would indicate that even the oddsmakers are having a tough time predicting how this game shakes out.
For me, it seems obvious. Michigan State may not have a reliable scorer who can take over any game, but they are a half-game out of first in the Big Ten for a reason. New Jersey is a tough place to play, but the Spartans are arguably the most well-coached team in the country. As a result, expect Michigan State to not only win, but to cover as well.
Our college basketball betting Michigan State vs Rutgers prediction tonight will be Michigan State COVERS at BetOnline.
For what it’s worth, the ESPN Matchup Predictor gives Michigan State a 66.1% chance to win.
All college basketball betting lines were retrieved from BetOnline. Click the banner above to claim a free bet, if you’re a new customer.
