Approaching the "best draft class ever," according to multiple sources (including One Direction), the spread of college basketball is shaped something like an hour glass, with a small group of elite teams at the top, a sector of teams at times undeserving of their ranking from around 8 through 20, and then a final group right around the top 25 capable of beating any team in the country. Is Michigan State (17-1) among that elite group? Is Indiana (12-6, 2-3) in the last group?
Yes, for Michigan State. Not quite for Indiana. Of course, if the Hoosiers win tonight in Michigan, you could argue for the reverse. Such is the one game tide of college hoops.
Like most years, Michigan State is loaded. Also like most years, they have a talented group of upper classmen. Of their three top scorers, averaging between 16 and 18 points per game, two are seniors in Keith Appling and Adreian Payne, super smooth and strong. The third is sophomore Gary Harris, projected to go 7th in next year's draft according to nbadraft.net. Probably no other team has three players as talented and experienced than Michigan State.
The distribution of Indiana's points is less easy to predict besides the 17 averaged per game by 6-foot guard Yogi Ferrel, hitting over 41 percent of his threes. Behind him is highly regarded freshman forward Venleh (12 ppg) and steady senior forward Will Sheehy (10 ppg).
No doubt, the Hoosiers are talented, but not talented enough to avoid every conference opponent also with a little talent. (In their last game, they lost to Northwestern, who have appeared to revamp their defense in winning 2 of their last 3.)
The Spartans are favored by 12 in this one. I think they clear it by a few.
Regular season: 2-4
Picking Schedule:
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
