Illinois vs Michigan State Basketball Prediction & Picks (2/10): Can You Trust the Spartans to Step Up at Home?

After a rough night on the road on Tuesday night, Michigan State will look to bounce back this afternoon at home as they host Terrence Shannon Jr. and #10 Illinois (2:00 pm ET, CBS).

Last time out, the Spartans (14-9, 6-6 Big Ten) fell 59-56 at Minnesota, who allowed only 11 points over the final 13:16 as they erased a nine-point deficit.

Despite taking their ninth loss of the college basketball season, there are currently no concerns for Michigan State’s March Madness status, as the Spartans have played one of the toughest schedules in the country.

But if they want to better their seeding, a win over the Illini (17-5, 8-3 Big Ten) would be a nice boost for their resume.

Illinois vs Michigan State Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

• Illinois +3 (-105)
• Michigan State -3 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 146 (-110)
• Under 146 (-110)

Moneyline

• Illinois +150
• Michigan State -170

Last Five Games for Illinois

• Nebraska (2/4 – home): Won 87-84 (OT)
• Ohio State (1/30 – away): Won 87-75
• Indiana (1/27 – home): Won 70-62
• Northwestern (1/24 – away): Lost 96-91 (OT)
• Rutgers (1/21 – home): Won 86-63

Last Five Games for Michigan State

• Minnesota (2/6 – away): Lost 59-56
• Maryland (2/3 – home): Won 63-54
• Michigan (1/30 – home): Won 81-62
• Wisconsin (1/26 – away): Lost 81-66
• Maryland (1/21 – away): Won 61-59

Players to Watch for Illinois

• Terrence Shannon Jr.: 20.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG
• Marcus Domask: 15.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG
• Coleman Hawkins: 12.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG
• Quincy Guerrier: 11.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG
• Ty Rodgers: 7.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.4 APG

Players to Watch for Michigan State

• Tyson Walker: 19.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 SPG
• Malik Hall: 11.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.1 APG
• J. Hoggard: 11.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.3 SPG
• Jaden Akins: 11.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.0 SPG
• Mady Sissoko: 4.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG

Illinois vs Michigan State Prediction and Picks

Illinois vs Michigan State Betting Analysis and Prediction

Winning on the road has been a chore for the Spartans, who are 2-7 SU (2-6-1 ATS) in neutral-site and away games this season.

That may not bode well for next week, as they have to visit Penn State on Valentine’s Day (6:30 pm ET, Big Ten Network) and Michigan on Saturday (8:00 pm ET).

But those are concerns for another day. At home, the Spartans are 12-2 SU (10-4 ATS) and are 8-0 SU (7-1 ATS) at the Breslin Center since a 70-57 loss to Wisconsin on December 5.

However, none of those contests have been as tough as the one on the agenda this afternoon.

When the two teams met in Champaign on January 11, the Illini escaped with a 71-68 win. But that was during Shannon’s six-game stretch away from the team, and since his return, Illinois is 4-1, losing only at Northwestern, who is 6-0 at home in Big Ten play with wins over Purdue, Michigan State, and Illinois.

The Illini have been solid on the road, going 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS in their travels in Big Ten play, and they are 6-1-1 ATS in neutral-site and road games this season. So, the Spartans will have their hands full if they hope to respond to Tuesday’s loss with a top-10 win.

Illinois vs Michigan State Betting Picks

Picks are courtesy of BetOnline.

Michigan State -3 (-115) & Illinois/Michigan first half over 69 (-110)

There’s a lot to like about the Illini and their prospects to make some serious noise in March, as they have shown that they are anything but a one-man team, even after Shannon returned to action.

That said, I’m not overly inclined to bet against the Spartans at home.

Illinois is third in the Big Ten in scoring (82.1 PPG) and is averaging 84.2 PPG since Shannon returned. Can Michigan State keep up offensively? That sounds like a tall order after they managed only 63 and 56 points in their last two games, but this is the same team that inexplicably put up 88 points against Baylor in a blowout win in Detroit.

Whether things click offensively—the Spartans are 9-1 this season when scoring 75+ points—or the clamps come out on defense, Michigan State should get it done at home. As frustrating as they have been on a regular basis in recent seasons, these are the kinds of games that tend to produce some of the Spartans’ best performances.

Where to Bet on College Basketball

If you are looking for college basketball odds, you will always be spoiled for choice.

Sports betting sites all over the internet offer a vast array of NCAA basketball odds throughout the season, from the opening tip in November to the conclusion of the season in early April.

Along with being able to bet on countless games, many online sportsbooks offer men’s college basketball national championship odds, women’s college basketball national championship odds, men’s Wooden Award odds, women’s Wooden Award odds, and odds on who will win early season and conference tournaments.

Below are some of the books that we highly recommend for college basketball betting:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetOnline (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our sportsbook reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Want to Learn More About College Basketball Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on NCAA basketball? Check out our college basketball betting guide.