The Michigan State Spartans look to keep pace in a competitive battle for first place in the Big Ten when they host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Spartans (21-5, 12-3) have won three straight by an average of 16.7 ppg, while the Knights (12-13, 5-10) look to rebound following a buzzer-beating loss to Iowa. The 10th-ranked Spartans are 17-point sportsbook favorites with the over-under for total points scored at 138 in the latest Michigan State vs. Rutgers odds. Before you lock in your Michigan State vs. Rutgers picks, however, check out the college basketball predictions from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has raked in the winnings for those following its picks. Over the past two years, the SportsLine Projection Model has returned over $5,200 to $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks. It also entered Week 16 of the 2018-19 college basketball season on a blistering 16-8 run on top-rated college basketball side picks either against the spread or on the money line. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now it has locked in on Michigan State vs. Rutgers. We can tell you it's leaning under, but it has also locked in a confident against-the-spread pick that hits in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only see that selection at SportsLine.
The model knows Michigan State has bounced back from its surprising three-game losing streak, rolling Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio State the last three outings. Prior to the losses, the Spartans had won 13 in a row, which started with a 78-67 win at Rutgers.
Fast-forward to Wednesday, and MSU is the Big Ten's top team in shooting (48.9 percent) and shooting defense (37.1 percent), as well as rebounding (41.8 per game) and blocks (5.8), and leads the entire country in assists (19.8). Cassius Winston has been dynamic, pacing MSU in scoring (18.5 ppg) and assists (7.4). He had a game-high 22 points in the Spartans' win over the Knights on Nov. 30.
But just because the Spartans have been red-hot doesn't mean they'll cover the Michigan State vs. Rutgers spread on Wednesday.
Rutgers' record isn't spectacular, but the Knights' improvement is tangible. They're 4-4 over the past eight games, with the last two losses coming in overtime and on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Rutgers is led by a defense that's allowing 68 ppg. It held Iowa, the Big Ten's top-scoring team, to 10 points under its season average on Saturday. Junior 6-7 forward Eugene Omoruyi (13.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg) had his seventh double-double of the season.
Michigan State is loaded, but less than before, as No. 2 scorer Nick Ward (15.1 ppg) was injured Sunday against Ohio State and had surgery on a broken hand. The Spartans are also minus No. 3 scorer Josh Langford (15.0), who is out for the season.
So who wins Michigan State vs. Rutgers? And which side of the spread can you bank on in well over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Michigan State vs. Rutgers spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $5,200 on its college basketball picks the past two years, and find out.
