No. 11 Michigan State will take a stab at the Big Ten lead today as it squares off against conference leader Ohio State in Columbus. This evening’s rivalry tilt is scheduled to tip off at 6:00pm ET at the Value City Arena; it will be broadcast live on ESPN. The latest NCAA Basketball Point Spreads have the hosting Buckeyes listed as a -8.5 against the spread favorite and the Over/Under set at 128.5 points.
Michigan State, which opened the season with back-to-back losses to North Carolina and Duke, earned its 19th win of the season on Wednesday night with a 77-57 thrashing of Penn State in East Lansing. The route of the Nittany Lions brought the Spartans conference record to 8-3, leaving Tom Izzo’s troops just a half game back of the first place Buckeyes.
Michigan State, which is allowing just 59 points per game on the season, held Penn State to 38.5 percent field goal shooting and it out-rebounded the Lions 41 to 22. Four Spartans scored in double-figures, but forward Draymond Green led the way with 23 points. Green also grabbed 12 boards and dished out five assists in the win.
The Spartans will find their task a little more difficult tonight as containing Ohio State is a bit more challenging than throttling the conference cellar dweller. The Buckeyes, who are 27th in the nation in points per game (76.9), ride a six game win streak into this evening’s clash and they are also 17-0 at the Value City Arena.
Ohio State (21-3 overall, 9-2 Big Ten) did survive a scare its last time out, though, just sliding past the Purdue Boilermakers in Columbus, 87-84. The Buckeyes usually stingy defense (56.6 points per game allowed) saw Purdue shoot 51.9 percent from the field and 57.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Boilermakers D.J. Byrd proved the biggest thorn in Thad Matta’s side as he went off for 24 points after a 7-of-9 effort from three point range.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Purdue’s defense also struggled containing the perimeter. Ohio State knocked down 26 of its 50 shot attempts and it also hit 9-of-16 from downtown in the three point victory. William Buford starred on the offensive end, scoring a game-high 29 points, but he was not alone as Jared Sullinger (18), Deshaun Thomas (13), and Aaron Craft (13) also produced double figures.
Michigan State, which has dropped its last three conference road games (Northwestern, Michigan, Illinois), has lost three in a row to the Buckeyes. The Spartans last win against Ohio State did come in Columbus, though, when they beat Matta’s squad 78-67 as a three point favorite (1/25/09). A Buckeyes win is expected; however, Michigan State has lost only one game by more than 8.5 points and that was in the season opener against North Carolina.
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Michigan State vs Ohio State 2012 NCAA Basketball Point Spreads: Provided by SBG Global
Michigan State Spartans +8.5 (-110), Over 128.5 (-110), +345 (Moneyline)
Ohio State Buckeyes -8.5 (-110), Under 128.5 (-110), -420 (Moneyline)
