The Butler Bulldogs (3-0) host the Michigan State Spartans (1-1) in a non-conference showdown on Wednesday. The Spartans are coming off an emphatic 90-46 win over Western Michigan after losing their season opener against Kansas. Butler, meanwhile, is off to a blistering 3-0 start after knocking off IUPUI, Central Arkansas and Troy.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET from Hinkle Fieldhouse. Michigan State is a three point favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 132 in the latest Michigan State vs. Butler odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before locking in any Butler vs. Michigan State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,100 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Michigan State vs. Butler and locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Butler vs. Michigan State:
- Michigan State vs. Butler spread: Michigan State -3
- Michigan State vs. Butler over-under: 132 points
- Michigan State vs. Butler money line: Butler +140, Michigan State -160
- MSU: The under is 6-1 in MSU's last 7 games as a favorite
- BUT: The Bulldogs are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a home underdog
Why Butler can cover
Guard Jair Bolden is second on the team with 14.3 points per game while shooting 59 percent from the field and 58 percent from beyond the arc. Bolden has scored at least 16 points in back-to-back games. Against Troy, he scored 21 points and came down with five rebounds. Bolden shot 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
Freshman guard Jayden Taylor enters this contest averaging 13.3 points, 3.7 boards, and 3.0 assists per game. Taylor has scored at least 10 points in all three games thus far. His highest scoring outing came against Central Arkansas when he put up 18 points, shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Why Michigan State can cover
The Spartans have four players who average at least 10 points per game. Senior forward Gabe Brown averages a team-high 13.5 points with 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Forward Marcus Bingham Jr. is third on the team in points per game (11), second in rebounds (7.5), and first in blocks (2). He is also tied for first with 1.5 steals per game. Against Western Michigan, Bingham Jr. stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.
Forward Joey Hauser averages a near double-double. He leads the Spartans with 9.5 rebounds per game while scoring 10 points. In the matchup against Western Michigan, Hauser recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 boards. He also dished out four assists while grabbing two steals.
How to make Butler vs. Michigan State picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting 136 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in 70 percent of simulations. You can get the model's picks only at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan State vs. Butler? And which side of the spread hits 70 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,100 on its college basketball picks the last four years, and find out.