Two of the best programs in college basketball, North Carolina and Michigan State, will face off for the third consecutive year today at 4:30 p.m. ET. UNC has a 7-4 series lead over Michigan State, but the Spartans have won two of the previous three matchups. Both teams have started the season 6-0, with Michigan State having two ranked victories and UNC having one win over a top-25 opponent. This game is taking place in the Fort Myers Tip-Off at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
Michigan State is a -2.5-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here is my best bet for tonight’s matchup between North Carolina vs. Michigan State.
North Carolina vs. Michigan State (4:30 p.m. ET)
Although North Carolina hasn’t had the toughest schedule to start the season, they has performed well. Star five-star freshman Caleb Wilson is averaging 20.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. Wilson has not only been one of the best freshmen in college basketball but also one of the top players in the country. Arizona transfer Center Henri Veesaar joins him in the frontcourt.
This is a close matchup according to KenPom, with Michigan State ranked 17th and North Carolina 21st. Both teams excel on defense: the Spartans rank 8th in defensive rating, while UNC ranks 19th. UNC has the better offense, averaging 87.5 points per game, while Michigan State scores 80.7 per game.
Michigan State’s offense isn’t the best, but they always seem to find a way to get the job done. Jaxon Kohler leads the team in scoring with 15.3 points per contest and is one of four Spartans averaging double digits. Although Michigan State has a good frontcourt, it will have its hands full with Wilson and Veesaar.
Michigan State has a ton of depth, but North Carolina could have the best two players in this contest. Given how UNC has been playing this season, it is an excellent value play to get them to cover the spread of +2.5 against Michigan State.
