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Spartans, Buckeyes clash
February 24, 2013
By Sportsbook
Check ou more College Basketball Odds at Sportsbook.ag!
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (22-5) at OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (18-6)
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Ohio State -3 & 130
No. 18 Ohio State looks for payback at home when No. 4 Michigan State pays a visit on Sunday afternoon.
When these two teams met on Jan. 19 in East Lansing, the Spartans pulled out a 59-56 victory behind a balanced attack. That win gave MSU its third win in four tries (SU and ATS) in this series, a run that started with a 58-48 win in Columbus last season. The Spartans are coming off a tough home loss to Indiana on Tuesday, but they are 4-0 after a loss this season and 9-2 SU after an ATS defeat. Ohio State ended a three-game ATS losing skid with a 71-45 pounding of Minnesota on Wednesday, when it held the Gophers to 29% FG and 13% threes.
Michigan State doesn't have great offensive firepower, averaging just 70.0 PPG, but it does have a strong FG Pct. (46.8%) and also rebounds very well with a +6.9 RPG margin. Defensively, the Spartans are outstanding, allowing 59.6 PPG on 39.1% FG. Junior SG Keith Appling (13.8 PPG, 3.9 APG) leads the team in scoring, but shoots just 41% FG and 32% threes. Appling had 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in last month's win over OSU.
C Adreian Payne (9.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG) also had a huge game against the Buckeyes with 14 points (5-of-6 FG) and five rebounds. He shoots an exceptional 59% FG including 10-of-18 threes. Sophomore swingman Branden Dawson (10.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG) also shoots a high percentage (56% FG), but makes just 54% of his foul shots. Dawson had nearly a double-double against Ohio State last month with nine points and 10 rebounds. Freshman SG Gary Harris (13.2 PPG) is the team's most consistent three-point shooter at 43%, while making 47% FG and 75% free throws.
Ohio State's offense is solid, averaging 70.7 PPG on 45.4% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range. The Buckeyes also help themselves by committing just 11.0 TOPG. But where OSU really shines is on the defensive end, allowing just 59.0 PPG on 39.3% FG. PF Deshaun Thomas leads the Big Ten with 20.1 PPG thanks to a 45.3% FG clip (38% threes) and 84% from the free-throw line. Thomas lit up the Spartans for 28 points (10-of-20 FG, 6-of-11 threes) and seven rebounds last month. Junior SG Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (9.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG) shoots an identical 45.3% FG, and is slightly better from long range at 39% threes. Smith was awful against MSU earlier this year, making just 2-of-7 shots for six points in 30 minutes.
PG Aaron Craft (9.2 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG) didn't shoot well against the Spartans last month either (2-for-8 FG, 1-for-5 threes) but he did have six assists and five steals. For the season, he's shot just 39% FG (31% threes), but he makes 81% of his foul shots and is a tenacious on-ball defender. Backup PG Shannon Scott (5.0 PPG, 3.8 APG, 1.7 SPG) has been outstanding in taking care of the basketball, as his 3.13 Ast/TO ratio shows.
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ASA |
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4-2 L6, 8-3 L11, 20-9 L29 Picks |
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