Michigan State 1-1 All-Time Against Kentucky at Champions Classic; Laying 2.5 to Wildcats
- Michigan State is 1-1 against Kentucky in the Champions Classic
- Kentucky has lost it’s last two Champions Classic affairs, including a 118-84 drubbing at the hands of Duke last season.
- The Spartans have far more experience and that should be a big factor in Tuesday’s matchup.
The No. 1 Michigan State Spartans and No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats will get the 2019-20 college basketball season started on Tuesday with the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.
The Spartans opened as a 2.5-point favorite but the line has now climbed to -3 in the Michigan State vs Kentucky odds.
Are they the right side in this game or is Kentucky the better bet?
#1 Michigan State vs #2 Kentucky Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | -3 (-115) | -165 | O 138 (-120) |
| Kentucky | +3 (-105) | +145 | U 138 (+100) |
Odds taken Nov. 5.
Kentucky Out For Revenge
These early season primetime matchups haven’t been kind to the Wildcats as they’ve now lost two in a row. They lost to Kansas in 2017 and were crushed 118-84 by Duke last season. The good news is they still went to the Sweet Sixteen or beyond in each of the two seasons, so the loss didn’t foreshadow failure.
The Wildcats do have some injury concerns going into this one as junior Nick Richards’ status is still to be determined. He’s a key part of the front court with E.J. Montgomery. They’ll have to replace P.J. Washington and Reid Travis, who played very well and were veteran leaders on and off the court last season.
The backcourt – on both sides – is where this game will be won or lost. For Kentucky, they’re shockingly returning a starting point guard. This is just the second time in 11 seasons that’s happened. Defensive Star Ashton Hagans should be among the best in the country. He’ll be joined by five-star recruit Tyrese Maxey.
While Hagans is back, this team is often seeing a lot of one-and-dones, which tends to bring some early bumps in the road. That explains some of these early season struggles at the Champions Classic and we could see it again.
Spartans Enter as Top Dog
Michigan State will start the season as the No. 1 team in the country. The Spartans field a veteran group that’s coming off a run to the Final Four. Senior point guard Cassius Winston is going to be among the Player of the Year candidates while returnees like Aaron Henry and Xavier Tillman will bring physicality to the team.
The Wildcats are not usually a tough team – at least not right off the bat – and missing a big body like Richards could hurt if he’s out. However, Michigan State will be without forward Josh Langford. He re-injured his foot – an injury that kept him out most of last season – and will not play until January.
What’s the Best Bet?
Kentucky always fields talented teams but they typically need time to gel. They are constantly replacing one talented class with another. Having Hagans back is a big bonus but in this spot, going up against a talented team laced with experience, it seems like the Wildcats will be in tough.
Oh, boy. Certainly seems like Nick Richards will be questionable against Michigan State. That’s not good.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerRadio) October 27, 2019
Keep an eye on the status of Richards. I’d give Kentucky more of a shot if he plays. If not, this should be a comfortable win for Sparty.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
