Michigan State vs. Ohio State odds, line: 2019 Big Ten Tournament picks, predictions from expert on 43-29 run

The quarterfinals of the 2019 Big Ten Tournament tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Friday afternoon from the United Center in Chicago when top-seeded Michigan State takes on No. 8 seed Ohio State. The Spartans are 11-point favorites, with the over-under for total points set at 137 in the latest Michigan State vs. Ohio State odds. The Buckeyes (19-13) are squarely on the bubble for the 2019 NCAA Tournament. A win over the Spartans would be a huge boost to their postseason hopes. But Michigan State (25-6) is looking for its sixth Big Ten Tournament title and isn’t completely out of the discussion for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Before locking in any Michigan State vs. Ohio State picks of your own, first check out the Big Ten Tournament predictions from SportsLine’s Josh Nagel.

A Nevada-based expert and winner of multiple handicapping contests with more than 20 years of experience in the sports wagering industry, Nagel specializes in picking college athletics. He enters Friday with a sparkling 43-29 record in against-the-spread college basketball picks for SportsLine members. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now Nagel has locked in on Michigan State vs. Ohio State. When evaluating this matchup, he’s taken MSU’s strong finish to the season into account. The Spartans battled injuries all year with Joshua Langford (foot) and Nick Ward (hand) both missing substantial time. Langford is done for the year, but Ward is expected to return on Friday, potentially giving MSU a huge postseason boost.

Despite the injuries, the Spartans won six of seven to finish the regular season. That span included a pair of wins over rival Michigan and a 62-44 blowout of the Buckeyes. Ohio State, meanwhile, finished the regular season with three losses in a row.

But the Buckeyes also have a great chance to cover the Michigan State vs. Ohio State spread in the Big Ten Tournament 2019 quarterfinal on Friday.

That’s mainly because of the return of big man Kaleb Wesson, who was suspended during that three-game losing streak. Wesson returned in Ohio State’s Thursday win over Indiana and his presence was immediately felt. The 6-foot-9, 270-pound forward went off for 17 points and 13 rebounds against the Hoosiers, both well above his season averages. He also made an impact defensively, blocking three shots and recording a pair of steals. 

And while the Buckeyes were blown out in the second meeting between these teams, the first matchup of the year was far more competitive. Michigan State ultimately won 86-77 on Jan. 5, but that game was within a possession or two for a vast majority of the matchup.

We can tell you Nagel is leaning toward the under, but his much stronger play is on the spread. He has identified a critical x-factor he believes causes one side of the spread to hit hard. He’s only sharing what it is, and who to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Ohio State vs. Michigan State? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Ohio State vs. Michigan State spread you need to jump all over Friday, all from a senior analyst who has crushed his recent college basketball picks against the spread.