Michigan State vs. Rutgers live stream: Betting odds, TV channel, prediction
Michigan State is set to host Rutgers in a huge Big Ten clash.
The Big Ten has been a rugged conference all season long and it is evident in the current status of Michigan State. Despite a fast start to the season, the Spartans are just 1-3 in conference play with the lone victory coming over the weekend against Nebraska.
Defense has been an issue for Michigan State in Big Ten play, which was exposed when Northwestern shot the lights out in the Spartans’ conference opener. Wisconsin put up 85 on Michigan State on Christmas Day while Minnesota racked up 81 on the Spartans in another loss.
Things didn’t exactly improve in the Nebraska game as Michigan State gave up another 77 points in their win over Nebraska, outshooting the Cornhuskers to escape with a victory. Tom Izzo’s team will need to demonstrate considerable improvement on the defensive end to pick up a home win against Rutgers tonight.
The Scarlet Knights are off to a 3-2 start in conference play with a signature win over Illinois at the RAC in December. Home-court advantage has proven to be helpful for Rutgers in the past two years and nearly helped the Scarlet Knights knock off Iowa on Saturday before the Hawkeyes escaped East Piscataway with a two-point win.
Securing road wins will be critical for Steve Pikiell’s squad as Rutgers looks to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume. Winning at Maryland in their Big Ten opener was a good start for the Scarlet Knights but picking up a rare win at the Breslin Center would definitely open eyes around the country.
How to watch and bet Rutgers at Michigan State
- Date: Tuesday, Jan. 5
- Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
- Location: East Lansing, MI
- Venue: Breslin Center
- TV: ESPN2
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
- Line: Michigan State -1.5 (FanDuel)
- Prediction: Michigan State 80, Rutgers 75
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