Thursday College Basketball Betting – Illinois-Indiana, Michigan rivalry and more

The Big Ten title picture was expected to be crowded, but the Ohio State Buckeyes are out in front as the nation’s only undefeated team in the college basketball betting world.

The Michigan State Spartans and Illinois Fighting Illini are among the teams fighting to get back in the league title picture, however, and both have what could be considered potential trap games tonight.

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Michigan State is still reeling a bit from the dismissal of Korie Lucious, a junior guard and a hero in MSU’s Final Four run last year, but a date with the in-state rival Wolverines, who they have dominated in East Lansing in the past decade-plus, is more than welcome tonight.

The college basketball betting fans in the Big Ten have seen a lot of close games this year when they least expect it and these two matchups could fall into that category.

Michigan at Michigan State, 7 pm ET:

MSU is favored by 10 ½ points in this one and haven’t lost SU to the Wolverines in over a decade.

Michigan started off the year 10-2 and played top 5 teams (at the time and/or now) Syracuse, Kansas, and Ohio State extremely close but two of those games were at home.

They have been dominated on the road by Indiana and Northwestern and their recent history against a talented and angry MSU team means that there is little reason for college basketball online betting fans to pick them today.

Michigan coach John Beilein has admitted his team is not the quickest around and quickness and athleticism are MSU’s strengths with Durrell Summers and Kalin Lucas forming a star backcourt. Michigan’s backcourt is getting there but is much too young and inexperienced sto deal with those two.

College basketball betting pick: MSU (-10 ½).

Illinois at Indiana, 9 pm ET:

The Illini are ranked 24th in the country but have struggled in the crowded Big Ten a bit, going just 4-3 so far.

They don’t play well away from home, where they boast one of the league’s best advantages, and Indiana remains a tough place to play. That explains the spread of -4 in favor of Illinois despite the gap in talent between the two teams.

Indiana is 10-2 at home SU but 0-6 in the road. But IU will have a hard time winning anywhere without Verdell Jones III, who is likely to miss his second straight game tonight.

With Jones, one of IU’s top scorers and perhaps its most explosive player, IU would be a good bet.

But Illinois’ size and defense is likely to wear the Hoosiers down tonight at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

Illinois is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings in the state of Indiana.

College basketball betting pick: Indiana (-4).

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