Michigan State vs Gonzaga Prediction, Odds & Picks Nov 11

Second-ranked Gonzaga will take another step on the road they hope will lead to their first national championship. Friday, the Bulldogs face the Michigan State Spartans in the Armed Forces Classic on the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego.

The Bulldogs took the first step Monday, beating the North Florida Ospreys for their 18th straight season-opening win. Still, a stiffer challenge awaits in the Spartans, not to mention the unique setting for the game on the deck of an active aircraft carrier.

“Michigan State plays hard,” Gonzaga senior center Drew Timme, a consensus All-American, told the media. “That’s the Tom Izzo DNA. They’re very blue-collar in how they play. We’ve got to come out and not be afraid to get our nose dirty.”

The Spartans also began their season with a win and now face the first of four straight games against ranked teams. After Gonzaga, Izzo’s team will face No. 4 Kentucky in Indianapolis, No. 16 Villanova at home, and No. 20 Alabama in Portland, Oregon.

Joey Hauser stepped out with a double-double as Michigan State took care of business against Northern Arizona. He looks ready to take a bigger role in scoring after averaging fewer than 10 points in his first two seasons with the Spartans.

“I’ve been here long enough where I feel like a senior leader, a guy who’s been here and been through the ups and downs,” Hauser, who started his career at Marquette, told the media. “So, just kind of that experience as you get more comfortable playing in front of that crowd and playing in a tough environment, an environment like Friday.”

Let’s check the latest college basketball odds, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines for Michigan State vs Gonzaga. We’ve plenty of NCAA basketball odds for you to consider.

Gonzaga Tries to Meet Triple Option Challenge

With winds possibly affecting outside shooting, the Bulldogs may have an advantage with their superior 2-point shooting, which has ranked first or second in the country for four straight seasons.

Timme, the third choice in betting according to the NCAA basketball odds to capture the Wooden Award (+750), has been a major part of that, shooting better than 60% on 2-point attempts in the last two seasons for the Bulldogs.

Everyone knows what Timme brings to the table. Still, the Bulldogs’ season will likely rest on how returnees Rasir Bolton, Anton Watson, and Julian Strawther do this season, along with transfers Malachi Smith and Efton Reid III.

The midrange game and ability to finish in the paint from Strawther and Watson will be critical for Gonzaga, while Bolton is the team’s top 3-point shooter (career 37.9%).

Hoggard Trying to Get to Next Level

The Spartans haven’t had a full-time starting point guard for a couple of years, but A.J. Hoggard is hoping to be that guy after being a part-time player his first two years.

The junior broke out in the postseason last year, averaging 10.2 points and 5.2 assists, and is already a strong passer and defender, but he is far from a finished product.

Hoggard struggles with turnovers and will need to improve his shooting if he wants to keep defenses honest. The Pennsylvania native is a career 40.6% shooter overall and 19.6% from 3-point territory. He has also made just 63.3% from the free-throw line.

“A.J.’s got a different personality,” Izzo, who hasn’t had a top-flight point guard since Cassius Winston, told the media. “He’s cocky enough to be great and sometimes cocky enough to be detrimental. A.J. Hoggard is a very important part of this team right now.”

Michigan State vs Gonzaga Game Injuries

Michigan State vs Gonzaga Head-to-Head

The Spartans are 3-1 all-time against the Bulldogs, with the latest win coming in Spokane in 2011. The teams have split a pair of games at neutral locations.