Kansas vs Michigan State Picks & Predictions Champions Classic 2021

No. 3 Kansas and Michigan State are quite familiar with facing each other in early-season, marquee matchups, and they’ll do it again on Tuesday night in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden (tip-off at 7 p.m. ET).

Don’t let the Spartans’ lack of a national ranking fool you: They’re still a squad that expects to go deep in the national tournament at season’s end (and they received the most votes among teams who missed out on the AP poll).

Naturally, betting apps have the third-ranked team in the country as the favorite in this one. Following the college basketball odds table, take a look at our college basketball picks in the article below.

5 Keys To Kansas vs. Michigan State

No chip on these shoulders: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo hasn’t missed out on March Madness since 1997, during his second year with the program. It may be shocking to some that Michigan State begins the year unranked, but Izzo is unflappable. He told reporters Monday: “We are where we are because of how we played last year.”

Wilson out: One of Kansas’s main contributors, forward Jalen Wilson, will miss the game due to a suspension following a DUI arrest. Wilson started 26 games as a freshman, averaging 11.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

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Coleman-Lands in: On a brighter note for the Jayhawks, super-senior transfer Jalen Coleman-Lands is available after missing last Thursday’s exhibition with a toe injury. Coleman-Lands, a guard who has played at three other schools dating back to 2015, led Iowa State with 39.5% three-point shooting a season ago.

Max’d-out debut: Five-star freshman Max Christie will make his college debut on Tuesday for what could be his lone season before the NBA draft lottery beckons. The Michigan State guard led his team in points (14) and minutes (26) during last week’s exhibition against Grand Valley State.

Matchup history: The Kansas/Michigan State history is more of a Bill Self vs. Tom Izzo history, and lately Self and the Jayhawks have had the upper hand. In four matchups since 2014, Kansas is 3-1 overall and against the spread. Also, this is the sixth consecutive meeting in which Kansas is favored.

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Kansas vs. Michigan State Best Bet

The loss of Jalen Wilson should sting, but Kansas is a top-five team entering the season for a reason. The Jayhawks have depth, as we’ll see with three-time All-Pac-12 transfer Remy Martin, who should start in Wilson’s place.

We don’t doubt Izzo’s ability to get his team ready for March - and before that, the gauntlet of the Big Ten’s college basketball slate — but sportsbooks and betting sites got this one right. Roll with Kansas on the moneyline or spread. You can get them on the spread at -4.5 (-110) with DraftKings.

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