Friday night’s Michigan State vs Detroit Mercy contest isn’t exactly receiving the same hype as the previous Spartan matchups against Arkansas and Kentucky, but it’s an important one.
No, it’s not like it’s supposed to be a close battle, but this is the last chance for the Spartans to get a tune-up before the Fort Myers Tip-Off next week which features matchups with East Carolina and North Carolina. That’s right, Michigan State has another ranked battle on the horizon, and judging by how ready it was for the previous two, it feels like the Tar Heels should be slightly worried.
Before the Spartans can even look ahead to that matchup, they have to focus on the task at hand, which almost got them in trouble in the second half against San Jose State.
Tom Izzo isn’t going to let that happen again, though.
Michigan State is 4-0 on the season and just picked up its second top-15 win, handling Kentucky with ease in the Champions Classic. The train has to keep rolling against a 1-4 Detroit Mercy team on Friday night — a team that hasn’t had much of a pulse this season.
So when looking at the opening line on Friday morning, it wasn’t all that shocking to see the Spartans as major favorites with one of the most lopsided spreads we’ll see all season.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of Friday, Nov. 21.
Line: Michigan State -30.5
Over/Under: 151.5
Moneyline: N/A
Whenever the moneyline isn’t available, you know the game is expected to be about as lopsided as it gets. It usually means that Vegas doesn’t even see a point in posting the moneyline because anyone betting on Detroit Mercy is just throwing their money away.
Michigan State should be able to handle the Titans like always, but the Spartans also can’t just go in expecting a blowout because that’s when they get lazy and the “fat and sassy” comments come out.
I’m expecting Michigan State to win this one comfortably, but I wouldn’t be all that surprised if the shooting takes a step back from that unreal effort against Kentucky. I just don’t see the Spartans making 50 percent of their shots from deep for a second straight game.