Michigan State vs Monmouth Prediction 11-4-24 College Basketball Picks

In this article we will formulate a Michigan State vs Monmouth prediction for this College Basketball game on Monday, November 4th at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this College Basketball matchup.

Michigan State Spartans Betting Preview

The Michigan State Spartans went 20-15 last season and they went 10-10 in the Big Ten, which was sixth in the conference. Michigan State had very high expectations for last season that were not fulfilled, but they still made their 26th straight NCAA Tournament. The Spartans opened last season with an overtime loss against James Madison by a score of 79-76, so you know Izzo will have the team focused and ready to go here. Michigan State went on a nice run from mid-January to mid-February, where they went 8-2, but they finished the regular season by losing four of their last five. The Spartans defeated Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament, but ended up losing to Purdue by five points. In the NCAA Tournament, MSU defeated Mississippi State in a blowout in the first round, but lost to North Carolina by 16 points in the second round. 

Michigan State lost quite a bit of production from last season, as Walker, Hall, Hoggard, and Sissoko are all gone, so Jaden Akins is their leading returning scorer from last year. Akins averaged 10.4 points per game and shot 36% from three. The Spartans will need quite a few guys to step up and replace that production loss, but I am worried about their guard play. I think MSU will be fine down low, as they have plenty of height, but finding a consistent scorer could be a challenge. 

Monmouth Hawks Betting Preview

The Monmouth Hawks were 18-15 last year, going 10-8 in the CAA and finishing in sixth place. Monmouth opened the 23-24 season with a 72-61 loss against George Mason, but they followed that up with a 73-65 win over West Virginia. The Hawks also picked up a non-conference win against Belmont and Northern Illinois, while losing close games against Cornell Seton Hall. Monmouth played pretty well down the stretch of the regular season, as they went 8-5 in their last 13 regular season games. Monmouth won their first game in the CAA Tournament against Campbell by 23 points, but lost to Charleston by a score of 83-59, which ended their season. 

Monmouth lost their best player from last season, as they no longer will have the services of Xander Rice, who scored 20.4 points per game. Jack Collins does return after being the second leading scorer on last year’s team, but he averaged just 10.7 points per game. Jaret Valencia also returns after averaging 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds last year. 

Why Michigan State will beat Monmouth

• Michigan State has won each of its last 14 day games against non-Conference opponents at Jack Breslin Student Events Center.
• Monmouth has lost each of its last four road games against non-Conference opponents.
• Michigan State has won the first half in each of its last nine day games at Jack Breslin Student Events Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• Michigan State ranked 15th among Division 1 teams for assist to turnover ratio last season (1.59).
• Michigan State ranked 26th among Division 1 teams for opponent points per game last season (66.1).

Michigan State vs Monmouth Prediction 

Michigan State comes into this season with lower expectations than last year, but they are expected to be in the top third of the conference once again this year. The Spartans did lose their top three leading scorers from last year, so I think it could take some time for them to find a rhythm. Monmouth also lost their leading scorer from last season, which is a huge deal, considering he scored almost twice as many points per game as the second leading scorer. Obviously both teams are going to need players to step up, but I think Michigan State will be very focused in this game after what happened against JMU last year. Take the Spartans to win big.