Check out our free Michigan State vs Rutgers pick and preview for this NCAA Basketball game in New York. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this College Basketball matchup.

Michigan State vs Rutgers Pick & Preview: Saturday, February 4th Betting Odds

Spartans vs Scarlet Knights Matchup at a Glance

  • Sport: NCAAB
  • Teams: Michigan State Spartans at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
  • Where: New York at Madison Square Garden
  • Date: Saturday, February 4th
  • Betting Odds: Michigan State +4, MST +154 | RUTGER -190 O/U 126.5

Spartans Preview:

Michigan State will take the floor against the Scarlet Knights with an overall record of 14-8. So far, the Spartans have played 8 games on the road, with a record of 3-5. For the season, Michigan State has been the underdog in 8 games, sitting with a mark of 2-6. Currently, the oddsmakers have the lines set with the Spartans being +4 point underdogs.

Michigan State’s leading scorer this season is Tyson Walker, who is averaging 13.86 points per contest. So far, Walker has accounted for 20.11% of the team’s scoring. In addition, he is contributing 2.5 rebounds per game and 2.64 assists. Joey Hauser is the second leading scorer for the Spartans, averaging 13.18 points per game. Between him and Hauser, they are accounting for 39.2% of the team’s scoring.

Michigan State comes into their matchup vs Rutgers looking to improve their offensive numbers, as they are just 168th in college basketball at 72.1 points per game. One bright spot for them has been their ability to knock down 3-point shots, as they have connected at a rate of 37.8%. So far, 33.37% of the Spartans’ shots have been from beyond the arc. When looking at the team’s pace of play, they are currently a below average unit at 66.4 possessions per game.

Scarlet Knights Preview:

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights head into today’s game in what will be their 23rd game of the season, posting a record of 15-7. Currently, the Scarlet Knights have been the home team 15 times, sitting with a record of 13-2. The Scarlet Knights’ are sitting with a betting line that is -4 points in their favor. For the season, Rutgers has been favored to win in 16 games, sitting with a mark of 13-3.

Clifford Omoruyi comes into today’s game as the Scarlet Knights’ leading scorer at 13.36 points per contest. Not only has Omoruyi been key to the team’s scoring efforts, but he is Rutgers’ top rebounder at 9.91 boards per contest. Behind Omoruyi, the team has benefited from the strong play of Cam Spencer, who is second on the team in scoring at 13.09 points per game. Overall, he has hit 45.2% of his shots and is adding 3.27 boards per game.

Offensive production has been hard to come by for Rutgers this season, as they are currently ranked 302nd in college basketball at 67.9 points per game. A major reason for low scoring totals is the fact that they have played at a below average pace, and have struggled to knock down outside shots. As a team, the Scarlet Knights’ 3-point shooting percentage sits at just 33.6%, placing them 278th in the NCAA.

Free Spread Prediction: Michigan State Spartans +4

In today’s matchup, our analysis has identified the best bet as an opportunity to bet on a road underdog. Coming into the game, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the betting favorite with a point spread set at -4. However, we anticipate Michigan State putting up a strong fight and see them covering the spread. It is likely, the the public is going to side heavily with the Scarlet Knights as the favorite. But, we see this line being set too high and like the value of taking the Spartans to cover.