College Basketball Betting: New Mexico State Aggies vs. Michigan State Spartans
by Mike Rose
One of the dreaded 5/12 games in the NCAA Tournament rounds out the college basketball betting action in the first round of the dance when the New Mexico State Aggies clash with the Michigan State Spartans.
New Mexico State shocked the rest of the WAC and most likely swiped a spot into March Madness when it beat Utah State in its conference championship game.
The Spartans have to be disappointed with where they sit right now a year after being a #2 seed and playing for the NCAA Tournament title. However, HC Tom Izzo's team took a premature exit from the Big Ten Tournament and was punished by having to play a potentially dangerous first round college basketball betting matchup.
The reward for the winner will be a second round duel with the winner of the Maryland/Houston game.
# 12 New Mexico State Aggies (22-11, 15-10-2 ATS) vs. #5 Michigan State Spartans (24-8, 12-19 ATS)
College Basketball Odds:
New Mexico State Aggies +13
Michigan State Spartans -13
Game Total 148
The name in this game that you may have never heard of but you'll certainly see all over the place by the time this night is over is New Mexico State's G Jahmar Young.
With names like Evan Turner, Sherron Collins, Greivis Vasquez, and Greg Monroe in this bracket, you wouldn't think of Young as one of the best scorers in it. However, the Aggies' best scorer is only behind Oklahoma State's G James Anderson in this group of 16 teams, as he is putting up 20.5 points per game this year.
The New Mexico State Aggies aren't afraid to run up and down the court, as their average game this year had over 155 points scored in it.
Michigan State is only 5-5 in its L/10 games overall, which is a bad sign for a team that already has a big bulls-eye on its chest after playing in last year's National Championship game.
G Kalin Lucas had a great senior season after his dominant tourney run a year ago. He scored 14.9 points and dished out 3.9 assists per game.
F Raymar Morgan was expected to have a fantastic year, but he just hasn't looked right for the majority of the year for the Spartans. Morgan has only been worth 11.5 points per game this year, and though that's second on the team, it's a far cry from his expectations as a fourth year starter.
College Basketball Insider Betting Tip : The Michigan State Spartans are only 1-7 ATS in their L/8 games against teams with winning records.
Our biggest question is why the Aggies are catching so many points in this game. Understandably, they're the most overrated #12 seed that this tournament has seen in years, while Michigan State is probably an underrated #5.
But still, this is a 5/12 game, and anything can happen. This is already a tournament in which there have seen plenty of surprising results.
"Pistol Pete" may be shooting off guns by the time this night is over. Something is just wrong with Michigan State right now, and if Sparty isn't careful it'll be knocked out of this tournament in a hurry.
Look for this rabid dawg to sink its teeth into Sparty and make people’s Midwest Bracket even more a mess after Georgetown shockingly got rolled by Ohio.
My College Basketball Prediction: New Mexico State by 2
