Michigan State Spartans vs Saint Louis Billikens Point Spread Picks

The Michigan State Spartans are once again poised to make a deep tourney run under Coach Tom Izzo. Izzo has taken his Michigan State team to the Elite 8 on seven different occasions, and he always has his team peaking at the right time. St. Louis has had a very good season, but don't play the type of competition in the Atlantic-10 that Michigan St. plays against night in and night out in the rugged Big-10. Teams that are seeded No. 9 have an awful history vs. a No. 1 seed as they are a woeful 4-53 straight-up, and the average scoring margin in these games has been +14.1 to the No. 1 seed. The No. 1 seed would have covered -7.5 in 18 of the last 26 meetings, and the Spartans are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 as a tourney favorite. These are a pair of very physical teams, and the points will be tough to come by here. The Spartans have held 19 teams this season to 60 or less, and the Billikens have turned the trick 18 times themselves. St. Louis 6-1 in their last seven, to the UNDER as a neutral-court dog, while Michigan State is 5-1 to the UNDER when following a win. Play on Michigan St. and the UNDER in this one.