Michigan State basketball is playing some of the best hoops that the program has seen in years. The Spartans are 9-2 on the season with a chance to secure that 10th win on Saturday against an FAU team that was under .500 not too long ago but has since jumped to 7-5 after a three-game winning streak.
The Spartans themselves are riding a four-game winning streak heading into Saturday afternoon's game that all started with a win over North Carolina in Maui. Since then, they've dominated Minnesota, Nebraska, and Oakland to improve that overall record and jump to No. 20 in the polls.
Heading into Saturday, FAU is a healthy underdog because, well, this isn't the same team that Dusty May led to a Final Four a couple of seasons ago, but the Owls still play some solid basketball. In fact, they have one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 86.1 points per game and, like Michigan State, they have an incredibly balanced offensive attack. They have eight guys who average at least 8.5 points per game and have appeared in all 12 contests. That's solid.
As for Michigan State, it averages just over 81 points per game and has been on an offensive tear lately, scoring at least 89 in three of the past four games. Can the Spartans make it four out of five on Saturday?
What does Vegas think?
Note: Odds come from DraftKings as of Dec. 21.
Line: Michigan State -13.5
Over/Under: 158
Moneyline: Michigan State -1200 | FAU +750
I don't love how close the line is because, on paper, Michigan State should win this on defense alone. The Owls allow over 76 points per game and they aren't exactly the best rebounding team, averaging just over 36 per outing. Michigan State allows just 67.4 points per game and grabs 41.9 boards.
This will be a classic sweat-it-out first half followed by a dominant second half which will lead to Michigan State covering the spread, but needing a big final 20 minutes to do so.
Final score: FAU 73, Michigan State 90