Michigan State vs. Kansas Prediction
Top-ranked Kansas will open its season tonight in a high-profile matchup versus 10th-ranked Michigan State. Can the Jayhawks live up to their hype right off the bat with a decisive victory against the Spartans?
Game Snapshot
751 Michigan State Spartans vs. 752 Kansas Jayhawks
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Bankers Life Fieldhouse at 7:05PM ET
TV: ESPN
Compare odds from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our College Basketball Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Jayhawks are a 6-point favorite on the spread line. The total is set at 155.5 points. As of Tuesday morning, 66 percent of public bets are being placed on Kansas. Check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for the latest info.
Vick provides veteran presence on Jayhawks
Kansas boasts one of the top recruiting classes in the country and brings in a pair of transfers from Tennessee in brothers Dedric (junior) and K.J. Lawson, plus another transfer from Cal in Charlie Moore. But the lone senior on the roster will be counted on plenty in Lagerald Vick, who averaged 12.1 plus 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists last year. Vick wasn’t even expected back this season even after taking his name out of the NBA Draft, but returned rather than playing overseas or transferring. After losing a lot of production from last year’s Final Four squad, Vick will counted on early as the newcomers to the roster gain their footing.
Spartans looking for go-to player
With Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson off to the NBA, the Spartans will need to replace a lot of production from last season’s 30-5 squad that was bounced from the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 32 by Syracuse. There are still plenty of veteran presences to choose from on MSU including point guard Cassius Winston (12.6 ppg, 6.9 apg), shooting guard Joshua Langford (11.7 ppg) and power forward Nick Ward (12.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg). A solid recruiting class will help fill some voids and while this isn’t the most star-laden Michigan State squad, it should be plenty good enough to compete for another Big Ten Conference title.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Michigan State
The under is 7-2 in the last nine Spartans games overall. Michigan State is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.
Kansas
The under is 21-9 in the last 30 Jayhawks games on Tuesdays. Kansas is 8-17 ATS in its last 25 games versus the Big Ten Conference.
Prediction:
There is certainly more hype surrounding the Jayhawks, but the core of Michigan State’s roster has more familiarity playing together and is very talented in its own right. Let’s get the college basketball season started with a contest that goes right down to the wire. I think we might have that here. Take the Spartans and the points as head coach Tom Izzo has done well in past years in matchups with Kansas.
PREDICTION: MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS +6