Two teams that have not yet tasted defeat this season meet on a cold December noon in East Lansing, where the Breslin Center's crowd will test a young Duke squad against a patient, physical Michigan State side. Duke arrives fresh from a narrow escape against Florida, while the Spartans have opened their conference schedule with a comfortable win. The oddsmakers have placed a small price on Duke's name, but a seasoned observer might note that stars and home rooms have a way of rewriting the numbers. What the game ultimately reveals is whether depth can outlast a single gifted player on a hostil
Duke Visits Michigan State With Both Teams Unbeaten; Spartans Pick Favored at Home Over Blue Devils
Two unbeaten teams, and the road team is the favorite
Mark
Two unbeaten top-10 teams, and the road team is favored. Why does that stand out?
Mimi
Duke is -135 on the moneyline and -1.5 on the spread, so the books see them as slightly better even in East Lansing. The writer disagrees and takes Michigan State at +110.
Luke
Worth saying that's one writer's opinion, not a forecast the numbers support. The 69-66 score is a prediction, nothing more.
Mark
What is the case for Michigan State?
Mimi
Duke leans heavily on Cameron Boozer, who had 29 against Florida in a one-point win. The writer says that against Arkansas the offense was basically three players in the second half.
Luke
That second-half Arkansas description is the writer's characterization. The source doesn't give any numbers behind it.
Mark
And the under?
Mimi
The pick is under 142.5. Both teams lead their conferences in scoring defense, and the under is 14-3 combined for the two programs.
Luke
Fair, but Duke's Florida game stayed well under 156.5 while being decided by a single point. Low scoring doesn't tell us who wins.
Mark
What do we actually know going in?
Mimi
Both are unbeaten, Michigan State beat Iowa 71-52, and Duke survived Florida 67-66. The rest is argument.
Luke
Right. How Boozer handles the Spartans' pressure is unknown until they play.
O Pulso
- Two unbeaten programs collide at noon, and neither can afford to look ordinary on a national stage.
- Duke's last outing ended on a go-ahead three with under twenty seconds left, leaving its margin for error visibly thin.
- Cameron Boozer carries Duke's offense, and the question is whether anyone else can share that load in East Lansing.
- Michigan State's defense and home court are being pitched as the counterweight, with bettors leaning toward a low-scoring, grinding night.
- The line sits close to a single basket, so the outcome is poised to tilt on a handful of possessions.
Two teams that have not yet tasted defeat this season meet on a cold December noon in East Lansing, where the Breslin Center's crowd will test a young Duke squad against a patient, physical Michigan State side. Duke arrives fresh from a narrow escape against Florida, while the Spartans have opened their conference schedule with a comfortable win. The oddsmakers have placed a small price on Duke's name, but a seasoned observer might note that stars and home rooms have a way of rewriting the numbers. What the game ultimately reveals is whether depth can outlast a single gifted player on a hostile floor.
Two unbeaten teams meet at noon Saturday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. No. 4 Duke is 9-0, and No. 8 Michigan State is 8-0. The game airs on FOX.
The two teams arrive from very different Tuesday nights. Duke survived Florida 67-66 when Isaiah Evans hit a three-pointer with 19.7 seconds left. Cameron Boozer scored 29 points in that game, but the Blue Devils failed to cover as 9.5-point favorites. Michigan State rolled Iowa 71-52 to open Big Ten play, covering as a 5.5-point home favorite behind Coen Carr's 15 points and Jaxon Kohler's double-double.
BetMGM has Duke as a slight road favorite. Duke is -135 on the moneyline and -1.5 on the spread, while Michigan State is +110. The over/under is 142.5.
The writer goes against the market and picks Michigan State 69-66. Outside Boozer, the writer sees Duke's support as inconsistent, and a second-half performance against Arkansas looked more like a three-man offense. The writer believes the Spartans' physical, experienced defense can unsettle a young star in a loud building, and that guard Jeremy Fears Jr. gives them the steady play Duke has not yet shown. The recommended bet is Michigan State on the moneyline at +110.
The writer also likes the under at 142.5. Both teams lead their conferences in scoring defense, and the under has hit in 14 of 17 combined games. Michigan State has gone under in four of five home games. The game, in the end, tests Duke's depth against Michigan State's defense on its home floor, with the line separating the two by barely more than a basket.
Two unbeaten teams meet at noon Eastern on Saturday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan: No. 4 Duke at 9-0 and No. 8 Michigan State at 8-0, with the game airing on FOX. The rankings come from the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Both arrive off Tuesday night games that looked nothing alike. Duke edged Florida 67-66 at home after guard Isaiah Evans hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 19.7 seconds left. The Blue Devils failed to cover as 9.5-point favorites, and the game stayed under the 156.5 total. Forward Cameron Boozer carried the offense with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.
Michigan State, meanwhile, opened Big Ten play with a 71-52 win over Iowa. The Spartans covered as 5.5-point home favorites, and that game also stayed under its 132.5 total. They shot 50% from the field. Forward Coen Carr led them with 15 points, and forward Jaxon Kohler had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Spartans are off to their best start in 10 years and already hold wins over North Carolina, Kentucky and Arkansas.
As of 10:18 a.m. ET, BetMGM Sportsbook had Duke as a slight favorite on the road. On the moneyline, Duke was -135, meaning a $135 bet wins $100, while Michigan State was +110, meaning a $100 bet wins $110. The spread was Duke -1.5 at -110 on both sides, and the over/under was 142.5.
The writer's pick goes against the oddsmakers: Michigan State 69, Duke 66, with a bet on the Spartans' moneyline at +110. The reasoning is that outside Boozer, Duke's support has been inconsistent. The Blue Devils barely survived Florida at home, and in the second half against Arkansas, the writer says, they were essentially running a three-man offense. The writer doubts that will travel well to the Breslin Center.
Michigan State, in the writer's view, is built for this matchup. Its defense is physical, disciplined and experienced, which the writer thinks can bother a young star like Boozer in a hostile building. The Spartans rebound well, control pace and don't rattle easily. Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. is described as running the team at an elite level, giving Michigan State the steady guard play the writer says Duke hasn't yet shown. On the spread, the writer passes, noting that anyone wanting extra safety could take Michigan State +1.5, but prefers the plus-money moneyline.
The writer also likes the under, 142.5 at -115. Both teams lead their conferences in scoring defense and consistently hold opponents under 61 points. The under is a combined 14-3 across the two programs, and Michigan State home games at the Breslin Center have gone under in 4 of 5. The writer expects coach Izzo to dial up pressure on Duke's freshman star.
The game is a test of Duke's depth against Michigan State's defense and home court, with the line separating the teams by barely more than a basket.
Citações Notáveis
I trust Michigan State's defense, its toughness and its home crowd more than I trust Duke's scoring depth right now.— Sportsbook Wire columnist, in the pick
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