Michigan State Spartans vs. Syracuse Orange

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Michigan State Spartans (-3)
Game Total Line: (138.5)
(wagering lines available at 5Dimes)

In a battle of top 10 schools, the Michigan State Spartans take on the Syracuse Orange this Tuesday night in the 2010 Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Michigan State comes into this game off a 74-39 demolition of Bowling Green this past Saturday, after dropping a tough 84-79 decision against No. 1 Duke last Wednesday night. The Spartans were a 10-point road underdog against the Blue Devils. They were able to battle back late in the game to keep the final score respectable after trailing by double-digits midway in the second half. Junior guard Korie Lucious came off the bench to lead Michigan State with 20 points and junior forward Draymond Green added 16 points in the valiant but losing effort.

The Spartans are currently 6-2 straight-up on the year with their other loss being a 70-67 setback against Connecticut on Nov. 23 as a six-point favorite. They are 4-4 against the spread overall but 3-1 ATS in their last four games. Senior guard Kalin Lucas is the team’s leading scorer with an average of 14.9 points per game. Green is Michigan State’s leading rebounder with 9.4 per game and Lucious leads in assists with 4.7. The Spartans are averaging 79 points per game and are shooting 49 percent from the field.

Syracuse has run off eight straight victories to start the season including a 53-50 win over Michigan on Nov. 26 as a 6.5 point favorite and 65-59 win over North Carolina State this past Saturday as a 12-point home favorite. The Orange trailed the Wolfpack 51-45 with a little over 12 minutes to play, but battled back behind junior guard Scoop Jardine’s game-high 23 points. The six-point victory moved Syracuse to 8-0 SU, but dropped it to just 2-6 ATS this season and just 1-5 ATS in its last six games.

Junior forward Kris Joseph leads the Orange with 13.8 points per game followed closely by senior forward Rick Jackson’s 13.1 points per game. Jackson also leads the team in rebounding; pulling down an average of 12.4 boards a game. Jardine leads in assists per game with 6.9. As a team, Syracuse is shooting 43 percent and is 63 percent from the line. It is averaging 70 points per game.

Michigan State is 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS in games played at a neutral site this season. The total has stayed ‘under’ in two of these three games and in four of its first seven games overall.

Syracuse is 2-0 SU in neutral site games this season, but 0-2 ATS. The total split in these two games, but has stayed ‘under’ in six of its first eight games overall.

ATS Game Pick

These two teams have not faced one another for close to six years so there is little past history to go by. This game is currently posted as the Spartans -3. Orange backers have taken a big hit to their bankrolls with Syracuse's 1-6 record in lined games, but they have yet to lose a game this season. Getting points with an undefeated (basically) home team is the way to go here.
Take Syracuse +3 at Sportsbook.com.