Conference play was good to the Spartans as they were able to go 2-0 against the likes of Iowa and Penn State, but now they’re back to non-conference action for the remainder of the month. It starts with Tuesday night’s Michigan State vs Toledo game in East Lansing.
The Spartans lost their last non-conference battle in the Breslin Center, falling by six to No. 4 Duke in a game that felt like it was Michigan State’s until the final four minutes.
After crumbling in the final minutes against the Blue Devils, Michigan State hit the road for its final December Big Ten game at Penn State, nearly dropping a second straight matchup. The Spartans got the Nittany Lions’ best shot, holding them off 76-72 in Happy Valley to improve to 9-1.
Now Michigan State will host a 5-5 Toledo team that hasn’t exactly been impressive this season. The Rockets allow nearly 80 points per game, don’t rebound at MSU’s level, and have lost two straight.
All signs are pointing toward Michigan State being a massive favorite on Tuesday night, and Vegas certainly agrees.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Line: Michigan State -24.5
Over/Under: 151.5
Moneyline: Michigan State -8000 | Toledo +2200
It’s pretty clear that Vegas isn’t giving Toledo much of a shot, and even though Michigan State hasn’t consistently covered as a favorite this year, I feel like it should here.
Prediction for Michigan State vs Toledo
Tom Izzo wasn’t very happy about his team’s performance following the Penn State win, and that was a situation in which the Nittany Lions played one of their best games of the season. The Spartans will no longer overlook any opponent, and Izzo will have them ready for a high-scoring Toledo team on Tuesday night.
The Rockets’ defense is one of the worst that Michigan State will face for the remainder of the season, and I could see the Spartans flirting with 100 points.
I do think Toledo will be within 20 points for most of the game, but Michigan State will get a nice back-door cover to make some bettors very happy.
Prediction: Toledo 60, Michigan State 87