Michigan State vs Minnesota Odds, Lines, and Spread
- #12 Michigan State is a 1.5-point road favorite over Minnesota on Monday night in a Big Ten game at Williams Arena in Minneapolis
- Minnesota upset #4 Iowa on Christmas Night behind a combined 56 points by Marcus Carr (30) and Brandon Johnson (26)
- Michigan State has lost both Big Ten games after going 6-0 against non-conference opponents
#21 Minnesota looks to build on its biggest win of the season when it hosts #17 Michigan State in a Big Ten game at 8 pm ET Monday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.
The Golden Gophers knocked off #4 Iowa 102-95 at home in overtime on Christmas night as 6.5-point underdogs. Minnesota won its second game in a row in improving to 8-1 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten and 4-4-1 against the spread.
Despite Michigan State being favored in this one, they’ve dropped back-to-back games to Northwestern and Wisconsin to open Big Ten play after going 6-0 in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Michigan State is just 2-6 ATS and has been on the losing side in five straight games.
Michigan State vs Minnesota Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | -116 | -1.5 (-102) | Over 160.5 (-108) |
| Minnesota | -102 | +1.5 (-120) | Under 160.5 (-112) |
Odds taken Dec. 27 from FanDuel
Johnson Lights It Up
Minnesota graduate transfer Brandon Johnson was noted as an insider scorer and strong rebounder during his three seasons as a forward at Western Michigan. In 2019-20, he averaged 15.4 points and 8.1 rebounds a game for the Broncos.
However, Johnson suddenly became a 3-point marksman in the upset of Iowa. He knocked down eight of nine shots beyond the arc. The eight makes set a school record.
https://twitter.com/BarstoolUMN/status/1342877925536894982
That came after Johnson went 2-for-10 from long range through Minnesota’s first seven games. Johnson also made just 34 treys in three seasons at Western Michigan, including a combined 12 in his first two seasons.
Junior guard Marcus Carr also had a big shooting night, connecting on six of 13 shots from 3-point range on his way to 30 points. Johnson finished with 26 points.
Long-range shooting helped Minnesota rallied from seven points down with 21 seconds to go in regulation to force overtime.
Carr leads Minnesota with averages of 24.6 points and 6.2 assists a game.
MARCUS CARR TIES IT!
30 points for the @GopherMBB player & we are heading to OT! pic.twitter.com/LtxlyogCxu
— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) December 26, 2020
Two other transfers are also scoring in double figures, junior center Liam Robbins (12.6) and junior guard Both Gach (12.3). Robbins transferred from Drake and Gach spent two seasons at Utah.
The Gophers have scored at least 90 points in three of the last four games and rank 22nd in the adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom.com.
Michigan State Skidding
Christmas was not as enjoyable for Michigan State as the Spartans lost to Wisconsin 85-76 at home despite being favored by 2.5 points. That followed a 14-point loss at Northwestern as 7.5-point favorites.
Considering the calendar has not quite flipped to 2021, it might be premature to label a late-December game as a must win. However, Michigan State also cannot afford to fall too far back in the standings in a stacked Big Ten. The Spartans are in a four-way tie for last place in the early going.
A bright spot for Michigan in the loss to Wisconsin was the play of junior forward Joey Hauser, who had 27 points – including making 10-of-11 free throws – and seven rebounds. Hauser’s outing came after he injured his knee against Northwestern and was limited to five points.
I break down Michigan St basketball transfer from Marquette, 4 star #52 ranked Joey Hauser and his style of play
His NBA comp and show why he was the missing piece on this years team pic.twitter.com/4jPkoGSwrl
— ᗩᑎT ᗯᖇIGᕼT (@itsAntWright) February 25, 2020
In his first season in East Lansing since transferring from Marquette, Hauser’s 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds a game are both team-leading figures.
Michigan State’s other double-figure scorers are junior forward Aaron Henry (12.0) and sophomore guard Rocket Watts (10.9). Henry had 12 points and six rebounds against Wisconsin but also turned the ball over seven times.
MSU Has Dominated Minnesota
Michigan State had dominated the series recently with five straight wins, all of which have been by at least 16 points. The average margin of victory has been 23.6 points.
Last season, Michigan State won 74-58 at home and 70-52 on the road, covering spreads of 12 and three points.
However, look for the pendulum to swing this time because Minnesota is playing well while Michigan State is not.
Pick: Minnesota +1.5 (-115)
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
