NCAA basketball odds: Michigan State going for season sweep of Penn State

Michigan State has rebounded from a rough patch earlier last month, and college basketball betting fans will get a chance to see them in action Thursday night against Penn State. The BetUS.com sportsbook has the Nittany Lions as a 13-point underdog.

Penn State at No. 12 Michigan State (-13) – 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2

The Spartans (22-7, 11-17 ATS) have won three of their past four games, including a commanding 53-44 victory over Purdue on Sunday. Michigan State seems to have returned to form after a recent five-game losing streak on college basketball odds. Since then, MSU is 3-1 against the spread. The team has struggled badly to defend the Breslin Center, though, going 3-7 in its past 10 home games against the point spread—including five straight losses.

Michigan State averages a solid-if-unspectacular 73.3 points per game. Kalin Lucas leads the team in scoring with 15.1 points per outing, but he’s struggled in his last two starts, totalling just 17 points on 6-21 shooting. The Spartans have three other double-digit scorers, each hovering around 10 points per game. Forward Raymar Morgan has enjoyed back-to-back strong performances, averaging 12.5 points and 12.5 boards in those contests. Defensively, the Spartans are allowing just 57.5 points per night in their last four games.

Penn State (11-17, 12-13-1 ATS) has also won three of its last four outings after topping Northwestern 79-60 on the weekend. It’s been a welcome change of pace for Nittany Lions fans, as the team endured a brutal 12-game losing streak. PSU has played very well against the spread, going 5-2 ATS in its last seven outings. The Nittany Lions have actually been exceptional when traveling; they’ve covered eight of their past 10 games when on the road.

Offensively, Penn State is a one-man band. The team averages 65.5 points a night, and most of the damage is done by Talor Battle. The junior guard is averaging 19 points a game while chipping in another 5.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists. His scoring average has dipped over the past four games, but PSU is finding ways to win anyway. Junior forward David Jackson has picked up his play of late, averaging 12.3 points per game over his last 10 games despite putting up just 8.0 before the streak started.

These teams met a few weeks ago, with MSU earning a 65-54 victory. It was the first time in three tries Michigan State covered against Penn State, though the Spartans have won eight of the past 10 meetings straight up. The total— SportsBetting.com has it at 132.5—went under, the first time it has done so in six games between the Spartans and Nittany Lions.