Michigan State vs Rutgers prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Saturday, February 5
Michigan State vs Rutgers How To Watch
Date: Saturday, February 5
Game Time: 4:00 ET
Venue: Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway, NJ
How To Watch: FS1
Record: Michigan State (17-4), Rutgers (12-9)
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Michigan State vs Rutgers Game Preview
Why Michigan State Will Win
Rutgers might be plucky, but can it hang around on the boards and when the Spartans start to go off from three?
This isn’t a high-powered Scarlet Knight team. It doesn’t shoot enough threes, doesn’t make them when it takes them, and most offenses are able to crank up the outside scoring – Rutgers allowed ten or more threes in three of the last four games.
Michigan State has been great on the inside, it comes up with a ton of blocks, rebounds, and and it’s good to hit about 47% from the field. All that production inside means lots of big things happening outside.
When the Spartans make more than 35% from three they’re 13-0.
Why Rutgers Will Win
Michigan State has a turnover problem. It hasn’t been all that bad over the last few games, and it’s been better with the ball than it was earlier in the season, but it’s still good for giving the ball up around 14 times per game.
There’s that, there aren’t a lot of takeaways from the aggressive Spartan D, and too much of what makes everything go relies on the free throw line. The team is a lock for at least 14 points per game on the line, but Rutgers doesn’t get hit for a whole lot of fouls.
Play tough defense, don’t start hacking, and home Michigan State isn’t hot from the outside. And again …
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What’s Going To Happen
The rebounds.
Michigan State has been a lock for over 30 getting off the bust – it only has fewer than 30 in three games this year – and Rutgers has to be able to hold up inside.
Rutgers doesn’t score enough to afford a slew of misses – it’s not going to get the offensive rebounds it needs to survive a close, tough battle.
There’s that, and despite all the free throws the Scarlet Knights came up with in the loss to Northwestern, the disparity on the line will matter.
Michigan State vs Rutgers Prediction, Lines
Michigan State 73, Rutgers 66
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
ATS Confidence out of 5: COMING
Must See Rating: 3
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