Every team heading into the NCAA basketball season has the goal of winning the national championship, but they also know that there are some things that need to be taken care of before that can happen. One of the biggest things is to make sure that you get a high ranking in order to have a bracket that is a little bit easier to manage. The Michigan State Spartans have certainly done that, and while they are not going to win the regular season Big Ten title, they are going to end the year with a ranking that will give them a very favorable draw. They have been one of the hottest teams in the nation over the past few weeks, and their #2 ranking is well earned. They will want to stay there, and will need a win against the Ohio State Buckeyes to secure one of the top spots. You can wager on this game by heading over to the NCAA basketball betting page.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs Michigan State Spartans Free NCAA Hoops Pick

When: Saturday, March 5 at 12 PM EST Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing TV: ESPN Radio: Ohio State IMG Sports Network NCAA Odds: TBA

Why bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes

The Buckeyes (19-11, 11-6) are finishing the season strong, and are increasing their chances of having an at-large bid. A win on Sunday would almost certainly see them get a tournament invite, but you also feel that a solid performance against the #2 team in the nation might also be enough to sway the committee. That will mean performing a whole lot better than they did when they faced the Spartans last week, when they went down 81-62 on home court. That is the only game that Ohio have dropped in their last 6, though, so they do have what it takes to put in a much better performance this time around. The Buckeyes are averaging 70.5 PPG, and are giving up 66.6 PPG.

Why bet on the Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans (25-5, 12-5) are on the sort of roll that often carries teams all the way to a championship. They have won 9 of their last 10 games, and could have made it a perfect 10 out of 10 were it not for a heartbreaking 82-81 OT loss to Purdue. Not only are the Spartans winning right now, they are playing brilliantly on offense, having scored at least 80 points in 7 of their last 10 games. They totally blew out the Buckeyes in the last meeting, but will know that things might be a little tougher this time around, especially since Ohio State have a chance to play their way into March Madness. The Spartans are averaging 80.3 PPG, and are giving up 63.4 PPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The Spartans have only dropped two games at home all season long, and I just don’t see them making it 3 in this one. I expect this one to be a little closer than the last meeting, but still like Michigan State to put up a double digit win.