Michigan State Spartans vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Michigan State vs Minnesota NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Minneapolis.

Michigan State vs Minnesota Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Spartans and Golden Gophers. The game is starting at 8:30 ET on BTN, and it's hosted by the Golden Gophers at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, MN. Get ready to place your bets! Michigan State is favored by -5 in this Big Ten conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 131.5 points.

Michigan State vs. Minnesota Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Michigan State Spartans at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Where: Minneapolis at Williams Arena
Date: Wednesday, December 4th
Betting Odds MST -5, MST -207 | MINNST +169 O/U 131.5

Spartans Preview: Will Michigan State Come Through as Road Favorites?

Michigan State improved to 6-2 on the season with a 94-91 win over North Carolina on Wednesday. The Spartans were +5.5 point underdogs heading into the game but not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Michigan State led 43-34 at halftime but allowed 48 points in the second half while scoring 39. The game’s total points of 185 went over the pre-game O/U line of 157.5.

Spartans Offense Breakdown

Michigan State's offense put up 94 points in their last game, shooting 54.1% from the field and 64.4% on two-point attempts. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25% of their threes, but made up for it at the free-throw line, connecting on 77.4% of their attempts.

Tre Holloman led the way with 19 points and 7 assists, while Drake Powell added 18 points, shooting 77.8% from the field and 66.7% from three. The Spartans finished with 16 assists as a team, with Holloman and RJ Davis each dishing out 7.

Spartans Team Defense

Michigan State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 91 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Spartans allowed their opponent to connect on 32 of 64 field goal attempts.

Inside the arc, Michigan State's defense gave up 21 two-point baskets on 41 attempts, a 51% success rate. From three-point range, their opponent hit 11 of 23 shots, shooting 47%. The Spartans also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they made 16 free throws for 76%.

Golden Gophers Preview: Can The Golden Gophers Secure a Home Victory?

Minnesota improved to 6-3 on the season with a 79-62 win over Bethune-Cookman on Sunday. Playing at home, the Gophers were -17 favorites and pushed against the spread. The total points for the game were 141, surpassing the O/U line of 131.5.

After leading 38-26 at halftime, Minnesota scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36. The Gophers’ defense will look to tighten up moving forward, as they allowed more points in the 2nd half than they likely wanted.

Golden Gophers Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, the Golden Gophers put up 79 points, shooting 47.5% from the field and hitting 47.8% from beyond the arc, connecting on 11 of 23 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 55.7%, and they were solid at the free-throw line, making 10 of 12 shots for 83.3%.

Brayon Freeman led the way from deep, hitting 5 of 7 threes at a 71.4% clip, finishing with 21 points and 5 assists. Dawson Garcia contributed 23 points and 5 rebounds, while Tre Thomas added 18 points, shooting 3 of 5 from three-point range.

Golden Gophers Team Defense

Despite Minnesota's defense allowing 62 points, they gave up a 47% shooting performance from the field. The opposing team went 29/61 overall, with Minnesota allowing 18/38 (47%) from two-point range.

From beyond the arc, Minnesota's defense allowed 11 threes on 23 attempts, a 47% success rate. The opposing team also shot 83% from the free-throw line, hitting 10/12, and Minnesota gave up 12 offensive rebounds.

Spartans vs Golden Gophers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Spartans are 2-1 ATS in their three last road games and 2-1 straight-up.
In their last five games at home, the Golden Gophers have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 1-4 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 64 points per game in these contests.
The last three games that Minnesota was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 0-2-1 while going 0-3 straight up.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Michigan State has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 8-2 straight up.