Michigan State vs Illinois College Basketball Picks

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Solid matchup from the Big Ten on Thursday night as surging Michigan State, once a Top 5 team but now unranked, visits No. 10 Illinois, which remains without star player Terrence Shannon Jr. due to an off-the-court issue. The Illini are still favored on the NCAAB odds. 2024 NCAA Basketball Betting & Expert Analysis Michigan State vs. #10 Illinois | MyBookie Sportsbook Week 10 NCAAB

How to Bet Michigan State at Illinois NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 9 PM ET
Where: State Farm Center
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports Live
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NCAAB Lines: Illinois -3.5 (total 150.5)

Series History

It’s the 128th overall meeting. Illinois trails the series, 64-63, but has won three straight games vs. the Spartans. The Illini are 41-21 vs. Michigan State in Champaign and have won two straight at State Farm Center – a 56-55 win on Jan. 25, 2022 and a 75-66 victory on Jan. 13, 2023. MSU’s last win at Illinois was a 70-69 decision on Feb. 11, 2020. In the last 29 games in the series, 25 games have been decided by 10 points or fewer. Tom Izzo is 27-21 in his career against the Illini.

Why Bet on Michigan State Spartans?

MSU (9-6) was a preseason Top 5 team but has disappointed overall, although Sparty had won six in a row before getting trucked 88-74 at Northwestern on Sunday. Northwestern jumped out to a 46-31 lead at the break, connecting on 54.1 percent of its field goals (20-of-37) and taking advantage of 10 MSU turnovers to score 17 points. Really the game was over then.

Michigan State Last 5

@ Northwestern – L88-74

vs Penn State – W92-61

vs Indiana St. – W87-75

vs Stony Brook – W99-55

vs Oakland – W79-62

Graduate guard Tyson Walker scored 27 points and had three rebounds and three assists to lead four players in double figures for the Spartans. Senior guard A.J. Hoggard had 13 points and eight assists, junior guard Jaden Akins added 13 points and four rebounds and sophomore center Carson Cooper finished with a career-high 10 points and six rebounds.

The Spartans have four players scoring in double figures, and 10 with at least 3.0 points, while 10 players average at least 10 minutes per game. Tyson Walker leads the team in scoring with 20.6 points per game, connecting on 49.1 percent of his shots. He is the player in Division I averaging at least 20.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals. In Big Ten games, Walker is averaging 22.0 ppg, while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor (35-of-70) and 50.0 percent from 3-point land (13-of-26).

Hoggard is second on the team with 11.3 points, while adding 3.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists, which ranks third in the Big Ten Conference. Akins, who scored a career-high 22 points against Stony Brook, is third with 10.7 points and 4.1 rebounds. Graduate forward Malik Hall is fourth on the team with 10.3 points, while adding 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

Of the team’s six losses, four of them are to ranked teams and by an average of 7.8 points per game, including an overtime loss. MSU ranks No. 26 in the country in FG% defense (39.0%) and No. 61 in scoring defense (65.9 ppg), No. 49 in 3-point FG% defense (29.7%), No. 11 in assists per game (18.6) and No. 14 in fast break points (16.7 ppg).

The Spartans rank No. 22 in the KenPom Adjusted Defensive Efficiency ratings this season. MSU has held four opponents to below 60 points per game and ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten in scoring defense. The Spartans are third in the league in field goal percentage defense.

Offensively, MSU has handed out at least 20 six times and at least 15 on 11 occasions, while averaging 18.6 per game (4th in the Big Ten, No. 11 nationally). It ranks No. 4 nationally per KenPom in Assist Rate at 64.9% (279 assists on 430 made field goals).

Bet Michigan State to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB

Why Bet on Illinois Fighting Illini?

Illini star Terrence Shannon Jr. remains away from the team after being charged with rape while at an Illinois football game at Kansas in September. He is set to be arraigned Jan. 18, but the trial for the case would not begin until June, after the conclusion of the college basketball season.

Illinois Last 5

@ Purdue – L83-78

vs Northwestern – W96-66

vs Fair Dickinson – W104-71

vs Missouri – W97-73

vs Colgate – W74-57

For obvious reasons, the team suspended him indefinitely and his season is likely over but for a legal Hail Mary. Shannon’s attorney filed for a temporary restraining order Monday that demands his school “immediately reinstate” him. The suit claims Shannon was not granted due process before being suspended. Nothing will happen before Thursday’s game regarding the TRO. Shannon Jr. is the leading scorer for the 10th-ranked Illini putting up a career-best 21.7 points per game while shooting 40.8% from 3-point range. The fifth-year senior began his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Illinois in 2022.

No. 10 Illinois (11-3) hasn’t played since last Friday when it had a four-game winning streak snapped in an 83-78 loss at No. 1 Purdue. After trailing by as many as 21, the Illini nearly fought all the way back, getting within three in the second half.

Playing all 40 minutes, Marcus Domask surpassed the 20-point mark for the third time this season, scoring 20 second-half points en route to a team-high 26-point performance for Illinois. Reaching double figures for his fifth straight game, Domask also finished with three rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Quincy Guerrier ended his outing in double figures for the sixth consecutive game, registering 18 points. Coleman Hawkins accumulated 11 points, his sixth straight outing in double figures, while he added four rebounds and dished out a season-high six assists. All three of Illinois’ losses this season have been by single-digits to teams currently ranked in the AP Top 10.

Illinois is 8-1 at State Farm Center this season and has won six consecutive home games since a 71-64 loss to then-No. 4 Marquette on Nov. 14. During the team’s six-game home win streak, Illinois has outscored opponents by an average of 27.2 points. On the season, the Illini rank second in the Big Ten with a scoring margin of +16.7.

Defensively, Illinois ranks 10th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.382), 14th in scoring margin (+16.7), 74th in blocks per game (4.4), and 84th in scoring defense (66.8 ppg). Illinois is among the top 3 nationally in two defensive categories via KenPom, ranking second in the nation in 2-point field goal percentage defense (.409) and third effective field goal percentage defense (.431).

Bet Illinois to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for NCAAB