NCAA Basketball Preview: Texas Longhorns at Michigan State Spartans Betting Predictions

Texas Longhorns at Michigan State Spartans
Wednesday, 12/22/10, 7:00 PM EDT, TV: ESPN2
Opening Point Spread: Michigan State -5.5
Current Betting Line: Michigan State -5.5
Opening Total: 141
Current Total: 140

The Michigan State Spartans have won 52 straight non-conference home games and will be hosting the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday night

Texas is set to play its second straight contest against an elite program when traveling to face Michigan State. The Longhorns topped the North Carolina Tar Heels 78-76 in Greensboro on Saturday. “I thought our guys were really tough in the last four minutes,” coach Rick Barnes stated. “We had a lot of different guys step up and do some things. But I just told the team that from top to bottom, this is as good of a team win as we’ve had in a long time.” Wednesday’s contest marks the seventh meeting between Texas and Michigan State and the fifth straight year that the two schools have met on the hardwood. The all-time series is tied at three wins apiece entering tonight. Five of the previous six match-ups have come at neutral sites. Texas is 6-17 ATS on the road the past three years and currently an underdog on the college basketball lines page.

The Longhorns tallied a 79-68 victory over the Spartans a year ago today at the Erwin Center, connecting on 59.4 percent of their field goals in the second half to pull away. During his 13 seasons in Austin, Barnes has registered a school-record 51 career victories against AP Top 25 opponents. Defensively, the team has held its first 11 opponents to an average of 62.5 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting, including a 47-of-164 (.287) mark from three-point range.

Michigan State hosts Texas in the final non-conference game of the season and will be facing its seventh opponent that is currently ranked in the Top 60 of the Sagarin Ratings. Spartans head coach Tom Izzo is also ready to get back on the sidelines after serving a one-game suspension and his team will put their 52-game non-conference home winning streak on the line. “I think this will be arguably the best team we’ve brought in here in a few years,” said Izzo. “I think it’s the most talented team that we’ve played all year so far.” Michigan State will be opening Big Ten play on December 31 by hosting Minnesota. The squad is 4-5 ATS on the year and 39-40 ATS over the past three seasons.

The Spartans have been suffering through early season issues of turning the ball over, averaging 16.2 per contest. Michigan State opponents are averaging 15.7 points per game off turnovers compared to just 15.0 for the Spartans. During Izzo’s career as head coach, the program is a dominating 213-26 at home, including a 190-17 mark over the last 14 years. He is hoping to have a healthy team on the floor for this important contest. Korie Lucious aggravated a right ankle injury Saturday while guard Keith Appling hit his head in the first half and did not return.