Both of these teams are at the top of the Big 10 and very similar in many ways. Michigan State is 9-0 SU at home this season, but only 5-4 ATS. This one will come down to free throw shooting with such a short spread. The Spartans are shooting over 84% from the stripe while Illinois is shooting 75%. Both top 25 defenses but got to give the edge to the Spartans with home court.

This should be lively, as both teams score well above 80 ppg. Not like the Tom Izzo MSU editions we remember, these Spartans click at 81.8 pg as Izzo rotates his players as an NHL coach changes lines on the fly, with a ten-man rotation that never seems to get tired, led by sr. G Jaden Adkins. Meanwhile the Illini score at 87.3 pg (ranks 5th) and got high-scoring 6-6 frosh wing Kasparas Jakucionis (16.7 ppg) reactivated from a brief injury just in time to score 21 in the midweek 94-69 romp past Indiana. The Illini has scored 80 or more in six of tis ;last seven. Note last year's clash at East Lansing ended 88-80 in Izzo's favor. Play Illinois-Michigan State Over