Maryland Terrapins vs. Michigan State Spartans Betting Odds, Analysis

The 11th-ranked Michigan State Spartans (16-4) will look to snap a surprising three-game losing streak Saturday when they host the seventh-ranked Maryland Terrapins (17-2) as 3.5-point betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

The Spartans have gone just 2-3 straight up and 1-4 against the spread in the past five meetings with the Terrapins, whose two losses have taken place on the road and been decided by a combined 11 points.

Michigan State was the No. 1 team in the country for four weeks earlier in the season but has stumbled of late, dropping to 3-4 in Big Ten play with a 72-71 home loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday as a 15-point favorite.

All three losses during the skid happened within a seven-day period, with the last two decided by only two points. The Spartans are also just 2-6 against the spread in their previous eight games, according to the Odds Shark College Basketball Database.

Maryland has won two in a row since falling on the road to the Michigan Wolverines 70-67 as 2.5-point favorites for its first conference loss. The Terps then beat both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats as double-digit home favorites, covering the spread against the former and falling short vs. the latter.

Northwestern beat the number as a 12-point underdog in a 62-56 loss at Maryland on Tuesday, after Ohio State was blown out 100-65 as a 10.5-point dog last Saturday.

Defense could be the difference in this key Big Ten matchup, as the Terps have not allowed an opponent to score more than 70 points since losing to the North Carolina Tar Heels 89-81 as eight-point road underdogs on December 1.

The under is 3-1 in Maryland’s last four games and 6-2 in its past eight, seven of which came against conference foes.

Meanwhile, Michigan State has given up more than 70 points to each opponent during its losing streak, with the over cashing twice in three games along with three of four.

The winner in this series has averaged 72.5 points in the past four meetings, with the over going 3-1. The road team has won five of the last six games between them.