StockJock,
After Ohio State's fast start which IMO was NOT a hard schedule they have cooled off. Yes Ohio St has 11 wins but lets look closer at who they have beaten.
E. Illinois
UNC Greensboro
Purdue
Iowa (a good win)
UMass
Northwestern
Penn St
Indiana (Very good solid win)
Michigan
Northwestern
and.. Illinois (AP likes em alot but there just not that good)
Ohio State has dropped there last two on the road @ Wiscosin and @ Minnesota. The key to Ohio State in this game is Brent Darby. I just cant see this coming to a packed house at MSU and playing as well as they do at home. OSU 1-3 ATS in there last 4
Michigan State : Is just the opposite, after a VERY SLOW start dropping 4 of 5 to open the season and going 0-5 ATS. Since then they have managed to start playing consistently winning 4 of 6 and going 5-1 ATS. There last loss was against Northwestern but was without Marcus Taylor who was out of the game with a concussion. This will be a great matchup with Taylor and Darby this whole game. Michigan State leads the Big Ten in rebounding margin +9.1 rpg so I see many more shots opportunities and a pumped up crowd has me liking them winning by 12
Other stats....
Ohio State has lost seven straight at MSU since 1992.
How Taylor and Darby go, so go their teams right now. Taylor is a fluid penetrator who can shoot threes off screens or off the dribble, a skill rarely seen anymore. Without him, Michigan State lost 61-49 at Northwestern on Wednesday. Darby is all quickness and power, tough to deny when he wants to get in the lane and a threat for three if his defender backs off him. He has scored 70 points in the Buckeyes' last three games.