January 5th, 2021 at 3:24 PM ^
Torvik has Rutgers by 2. Rare case of the Vegas nerds disagreeing.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:29 PM ^
I have a suspicion that people are betting on history more than recent results and the eye test. Maybe Izzo has figured out his team like he seems to do every year, but from what I've watched of this MSU team it's a tall task.
Rutgers by 5.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:31 PM ^
It’s a win win either way. But ya fuck state I hope they lose out
January 5th, 2021 at 3:35 PM ^
i don't like saying it, but i have a feeling that rumors of state's hoops demise are greatly exaggerated. i'm not saying they're going to the final four, but i think at worst they will be a very tough out even for us and the other teams that are near the top right now. i predict state will be at least decent, and izzo might actually earn his money this year and surprise some people. i want to be wrong, and i hope rutgers shows me how wrong starting tonight.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:13 PM ^
Agreed. I hope they fall apart and have a terrible season but it just never seems to happen for them. The worst regular season they have had lately was 2016-17 when the finished 10-8 and should have missed the tournament but Hollis was head of the selection committee. I think they squeak out a win tonight but I hope I am wrong.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
Demise, no. But from watching them play they seem at best an average B1G team, not the top-10 team most predicted. Which is still generally good but they are lacking at PG and interior muscle/defense, two normal pillars of an MSU team. They have some talent so they could turn things around a bit but they are not very cohesive. They could end up being a sweet 16 team but I don't see much beyond that. Meeting preseason expectations seems very unlikely at this point.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
I agree. They are undersized at the 5 (Dickinson is going to have a field day). Loyer is not a starting PG. I don't know if he would even be a starter in the MAC. His lack of size is too much of a liability. I am curious to see how their true freshman pg develops. That Hoggard kid. If I was a betting man, I wouldn't touch this game. Normally Izzo has the pieces to fix the issues with his team. But this season I just don't see how they can fix their lack of size at the 5. I could see them having solid, not stellar, pg play depending on how Hoggard develops. But that won't be enough.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:38 PM ^
Have you watched them play this year? They're a much different team than they usually are. Defense is average at best and they have no one who can consistently initiate the offense. Hoggard has the potential to break out, but beyond that, I see them as a middle of the pack B1G team
January 5th, 2021 at 7:56 PM ^
bottom half of the middle, at that
January 6th, 2021 at 4:49 AM ^
i have watched them play, including their last game/win this weekend. they showed some spark. i only saw the box score from the rutgers game, but there you have it, a big win for sparty unfortunately. looking at rutgers box score is pretty scary - 30.5% shooting, 25.0% from 3, and 35.3% free throws - that's like a 3rd grade FT %. must have been very, very ugly to watch.
January 6th, 2021 at 9:03 AM ^
The Rutgers FT shooting was absolutely horrendous. As for their FG%'s, sparty played very good defense last night. Got to give credit where it is due. Hoggard might be the key piece for sparty. He looks like a pretty good defender and has good instincts. He is not a threat to score, at least he hasn't shown he is. But with Henry, Watts, and Hauser...he doesn't need to be. He just needs to run the offense. What I watched last night told me it looks like Izzo might be putting it together. Which is what I was nervous about 2 weeks ago. Sparty still has issues at the 5 though.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
I'm not betting on Sparty anymore. I bet them to win at Northwestern and at home against Wisconsin (both straight up) and both were the only losses on 5-team parlays. I have zero faith in them right now
January 5th, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
Seems about right. I think MSU is being a bit overlooked/undersold (they aren't this bad), but Rutgers should be favored on the road.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:41 PM ^
Hmmm Duke and MSU fall off the same year that crowds aren't around to impact refs decisions. Curious. I wonder how Gene Keady and Bobby Knight would've done during a pandemic. For some reason I bet the fab 5 would've been undefeated vs them. UM has been loving a neutral court for over 30 years. Strange how well we are doing this year, the season of the neutral court.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:44 PM ^
Looking to watch some floor slapping!
January 5th, 2021 at 5:36 PM ^
I like Rutgers in this game. I don't think MSU is gonna be able to do anything on offense against Rutgers D and MSU's defense has been pretty down from what it usually is
January 6th, 2021 at 9:04 AM ^
I agreed with your take. Then the game happened and the complete opposite happened. Sparty might be turning a corner. Which sucks.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:45 PM ^
You have to call out the line movement to make sense of it. It opened as a pick'em. Sharps came in and slammed MSU to the point the line is now -3. MSU has 54% of the bets but 78% of the money. Pro gamblers are backing MSU heavy here.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:15 PM ^
Interesting stuff. Wonder wtf they're seeing/thinking that most of us aren't. They have looked bad and Rutgers legitimately good.
Now of course Rutgers has come out and looked like trash.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:16 PM ^
Terrible shooting night for Rutgers. nut MSU’s defense and rebounding were really good. MSU wins by 23.
January 9th, 2021 at 8:35 PM ^
#17 Rutgers is getting 2.5 over #119 Mooo U?
Interesting.