Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Michigan State and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have jumped out to a quick 38-28 lead against Samford.
If Michigan State keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 4-1 in no time. On the other hand, Samford will have to make due with a 4-2 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Samford Bulldogs @ Michigan State Spartans
Current Records: Samford 4-1, Michigan State 3-1
How To Watch
- When: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Breslin Center — East Lansing, Michigan
- TV: Peacock
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $2.00
What to Know
Bulldogs fans better hope the squad plays one heck of a game on Tuesday as the odds are decidedly against them. They are taking a road trip to face off against the Michigan State Spartans at 8:00 p.m. ET at Breslin Center. One thing working in the Bulldogs’ favor is that they have posted at least 82 points every time they’ve taken the court this season.
If Samford beats Michigan State with 97 points on Tuesday, it’s going to be the team’s new lucky number: they’ve won their past two matches with that exact score. Samford took down Texas So. 97-82 on Sunday. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
Meanwhile, there’s no place like home for Michigan State, who bounced back after a tough loss on the road on Tuesday. They walked away with an 86-72 victory over Bowling Green on Saturday. The score was all tied up 43-43 at the break, but the Spartans were the better team in the second half.
Michigan State’s win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jaden Akins, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 12 rebounds. The dominant performance also gave Akins a new career-high in assists (six). Tre Holloman was another key player, going 5 for 9 en route to 11 points plus four blocks.
Michigan State was working as a unit and finished the game with 20 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bowling Green only posted 12.
Samford pushed their record up to 4-1 with the victory, which was their 21st straight at home dating back to last season. As for Michigan State, their win bumped their record up to 3-1.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as both are some of the highest scoring teams in the league. Samford hasn’t had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 100.5 points per game. However, it’s not like Michigan State struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 83. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
Odds
Michigan State is a big 17.5-point favorite against Samford, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Spartans, as the game opened with the Spartans as a 15.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are expecting fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 160.5 points.
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