Middle Tennessee vs. Michigan State Spartans Betting, March Madness Pick

The Michigan State Spartans aren't just on a roll heading into this NCAA tournament, having recently won the Big Ten tournament. They are also making money at a great clip, going 12-2 against the spread on the college basketball betting lines over the last six weeks.

In doing so, the Spartans have covered some big numbers, and they're favored by another big number for their first-round date with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Friday afternoon in St. Louis.

Point spread: The Spartans opened as 17-point favorites; the total was 139, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

March Madness pick, via Odds Shark computer: 70.1-66.2 Spartans

Why pick Middle Tennessee to cover the spread?

The Blue Raiders come in hot, riding a six-game winning streak after sweeping three games in three days to win the Conference USA tournament, securing their second NCAA berth in the last three seasons. Middle Tennessee also got great news when guard Giddy Potts returned from an injury to average 15 points per game in the conference tournament.

On the season, with four players averaging in double figures, the Blue Raiders are shooting 45 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three-point land. They're also 6-5 ATS this season as underdogs and 2-1 ATS when getting five points or more.

If Middle Tennessee can challenge the Spartans on the boards and hit seven or eight triples, it could cash in on this one.

Why pick Michigan State to cover the spread?

After last season's unexpected run to the Final Four as a No. 7 seed, Michigan State started this season 16-1. The Spartans then lost three games in a row in January but have won 13 of 14 since. They swept through the Big Ten tournament, knocking off Maryland and Purdue along the way and extending their NCAA tournament streak to 19 in a row.

And somehow, the committee only gave Michigan State a No. 2 seed. Go figure. Michigan State owns victories this season over Kansas, Providence, Louisville, the Terrapins (twice), Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and the Boilermakers, and of its five losses, three came by exactly one point. On top of it all, the Spartans are 12-3 ATS this season when favored by double digits.

Smart betting pick

There's not much doubt as to who's going to win this game; Michigan State just has too much for Middle Tennessee to deal with. The only unknown is the final tally. But as mentioned above, big spreads don't seem to bother the Spartans. The smart money here sides with Michigan State.

March Madness betting trends

Michigan State is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 games.

The total has gone under in five of Middle Tennessee's last six games.

Michigan State is 17-4 ATS in its past 21 games when laying 15 points or more.

Middle Tennessee ended the year on a 6-0 straight up and 5-1 ATS run.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, and all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app for iOS or Android.