Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-0) vs. Michigan State Spartans (1-0)
The opening week of the 2020-21 college basketball season continues with some hot betting action over the weekend, so Iโve prepared the best betting pick and tips for the non-conference showdown between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Michigan State Spartans.
Notre Dame will open the season with this tough road matchup at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. On the other side, the Spartans have already won their opener and will look to satisfy the odds in this one at home.
The Fighting Irish want to stay on the winning path
In his 21st season at Notre Dameโs helm, Mike Brey will look to keep his team on the winning track. The Fighting Irish went 20-12 overall this past regular season and finished at the eighth spot of the ACC standings with a 10-10 record in the conference play.
Just two seasons ago, the Fighting Irish had only three wins and 15 losses in the conference play. Now, they want to make it to the Big Dance for the first time since 2017 when Notre Dame exited in the second round after an 83-71 defeat to West Virginia.
Last year, the Fighting Irish were No. 52 at the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 57 at the final KenPom rankings. They were scoring 110.7 points per 100 possessions (41st in the country) while surrendering 98.6 in a return (100th).
Notre Dame lost its two top scorers from the previous season, so junior guards Prentiss Hubb and Dane Goodwin will lead the way for the Fighting Irish this term. Hubb was averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game as a sophomore, while Goodwin was tallying 10.8 points and 3.8 rebounds.
The Spartans easily outlasted Eastern Michigan in the opener
Michigan State tipped off the 2020-21 college basketball season with a convincing 83-67 home victory over the Eastern Michigan Eagles. The Spartans failed to cover a 22-point spread, but they had no problems to outlast the Eagles.
After a slow start, the Spartans built a 16-point lead until the break. Interestingly, they had a 22-point lead with just two minutes to go in the second half. The Spartans shot 54.5% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc, but they also committed a whopping 18 turnovers.
Junior guard Foster Loyer dropped 20 points on the Eagles including six 3-pointers. Joey Hauser had 15 points and nine rebounds, while Aaron Henry added six points, four boards, and seven assists.
The Spartans are reigning Big Ten regular-season co-champions after going 14-6 in the conference play and 22-9 overall. They ended as the No. 7 in both KenPom rankings and NCAA NET Rankings.
Trends:
Notre Dame:
- 5-8 ATS in the last 13 games on the road
- 2-6 ATS in the last eight games against the Big Ten
Michigan State:
- 4-2 ATS in the last six games overall
- 8-4 ATS in the last 12 home contests
The Winner Prediction
The Spartans finished the previous season on a five-game win streak. They were one of the best teams in the country and a legitimate national championship contender. I expect the Spartans to continue with a strong performance and cover against the Fighting Irish at home.
Michigan State will look to reduce turnovers after some sloppy plays in the opener. If they continue to shoot the ball well, the Spartans shouldnโt have problems beating the Fighting Irish. Also, the hosts possess greater depth, and the Fighting Irish will need to bring their best game if they want to keep it close.
These two schools met each other twice in the previous decade. Each team was victorious once, while the Spartans went 2-0 ATS.
Pick: Take Michigan State and the points
The Total:
I would stick with the spread in this game, as it seems like it could easily go either way when it comes to the totals. Itโs the opening week of the season, while the Fighting Irish will take the floor for the first time this term.
The Spartans had the 13th-best defense in the country last season. They have the potential to put on another strong defensive performance. Neither side likes to play at a super-fast tempo, so Iโm backing the under.
Pick: Go under