All eyes are on college basketball this weekend, thanks to a loaded Saturday slate of games. 19 different ranked teams will be in action, including #11 Michigan State. The Spartans (19-5, 10-3) sit near the top of the Big Ten, coached by Hall of Famer Tom Izzo. Hosting MSU will be Illinois, a quality program fighting to make its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. With a record of 17-8 (9-6), every game is crucial for the Fighting Illini.
Below is my college basketball pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for this must-see matchup in Champaign:
#11 Michigan State at Illinois (8:00 PM EST)
This is one of the best Michigan State rosters in years, thanks in large part to excellent guard play. Senior Jaden Atkins has led the team with 13.4 points per game, while Jase Richardson (10.3 PPG) and Tre Holloman (8.3 PPG) have chipped in as well. Izzo’s crew isn’t very big down low, but they do have an athletic group of forwards. Leading rebounder Jaxon Kohler (7.8 RPG) and sophomore Coen Carr (8.1 PPG) are the top front court options. The biggest draw for MSU is their defense, ranked 15th in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom. However, three losses over their last four games have made it tough to trust the Spartans.
On the other side, Illinois has had an up-and-down 2024-25 campaign. Brad Underwood’s squad is carried by the nation’s seventh-highest scoring offense (85.1 PPG). Freshman Kasparas Jakucionis has been a standout, averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season. The freshman guard was named to the Wooden Award’s midseason top 20 watchlist. Elsewhere, the team has also relied on forward Will Riley (11.9 PPG), center Tomislav Ivisic (13.1 PPG) and guard Kylan Boswell (11.5 PPG). Ultimately, this group has underperformed so far, as seen in their 314th-ranked luck rating on KenPom (-0.59). Despite their eight losses, the Illini are ranked 15th in adjusted efficiency margin.
It’s no shock that Michigan State, led by one of college basketball’s greatest coaches, is March Madness-bound. Illinois’ performance is a far greater surprise, given the amount of firepower on its roster. However, the team is 5-2 this season at home against Big Ten opponents. It’s been five years since MSU earned a victory in Champaign, going 0-3 during that time. An Illini squad desperate for a win should find success against a suddenly slumping Sparty on Saturday.
College Basketball Pick: Illinois -5.5 (1 Unit)
