Michigan State Spartans vs Cornell Big Red Picks and Predictions December 29th 2025

Michigan State Spartans vs Cornell Big Red Picks and Predictions – December 29, 2025

Michigan State hosts Cornell at the Breslin Center on Monday night with tipoff set for 7:00 PM ET. The Spartans come in at 8–4 after a tough non-conference slate, while Cornell rides a 10–2 start and a five-game win streak. This isn’t a rivalry game or even a major bracket-shifter, but for both teams, it’s a key moment — Michigan State needs to reset before Big Ten play, and Cornell gets a shot at a high-major proving ground.

The Spartans were recently handled by Baylor and look to bounce back at home, where they’ve historically been reliable as double-digit favorites. Cornell’s been explosive on offense, but they haven’t faced a defense or frontcourt like this. The spread is double digits for a reason — the question is whether Michigan State’s inconsistent offense can cover it.

Michigan State Spartans vs Cornell Big Red Odds

Below are the current lines for this matchup — be sure to monitor the latest college basketball odds as markets shift closer to tipoff.

Team	Moneyline	Spread	Total
Michigan State	-600	-11.5 (-110)	U 149.5 (-110)
Cornell	+450	+11.5 (-110)	O 149.5 (-110)

Michigan State Spartans Betting Form

The Spartans are elite on defense, ranking top 20 nationally in adjusted efficiency. That’s their edge. They rebound, they contest, and they rarely give up easy looks inside. But offensively, it’s a bit of a coin flip. If Tyson Walker isn’t scoring 20+, they tend to get stuck. The team leans heavily on his shot creation while waiting for others like Akins or Hall to hit.

Tempo-wise, they slow things down. Michigan State plays methodically and typically keeps games in the 60s or 70s, especially at home. That doesn’t always lend itself to covering big spreads, but they do have a strong home bounce-back history. They’re also top 15 in free throw rate on offense, which matters against teams like Cornell that foul often.

Check their latest Michigan State stats and results and monitor the Michigan State injury report before betting, especially if any rotation changes pop up before tipoff.

Cornell Big Red Betting Form

Cornell is one of the fastest teams in the country. Top 25 in pace, and top 10 in three-point rate. They run, shoot, and spread the floor — it’s a stylistic opposite of Michigan State. That’s part of why this line isn’t even higher. Cornell can catch fire and put up points in bunches.

But there’s a price. They don’t protect the rim, they foul too much, and they’re small. That’s a tough combination against Michigan State’s size and physicality. If Cornell isn’t hitting from deep, they don’t have a plan B. Still, they average 82 PPG and have covered in road games this season when the pace suits them.

Take a closer look at the Cornell schedule and stats, and don’t forget to check the Cornell injury report in case any key guards are limited — they don’t have the depth to absorb a key loss.

Michigan State Spartans vs Cornell Big Red Matchup Breakdown

This is a classic tempo battle. Cornell wants to speed it up, shoot early, and put pressure on with pace. Michigan State wants to take away transition, force halfcourt offense, and make Cornell play against their length. If the Spartans control pace, this total could drop quickly.

Cornell’s only real hope to stay inside the number is to shoot lights-out from three. They take a ton, and they’ll take them early. But Michigan State defends the arc well, closes hard, and rarely gets lost on switches. That’s not a good mix for an upset bid.

Rebounding is another key edge. Cornell ranks near the bottom nationally in defensive rebounding percentage. MSU can crush them on the glass and create extra possessions. That often leads to fouls — and with how often Cornell sends teams to the line, expect a free throw edge here too.

You can use insights like these along with our college basketball betting guide to better handicap tempo-driven matchups like this.

Michigan State Spartans vs Cornell Big Red Predictions and Best Bets

Laying 11.5 isn’t always appealing with Michigan State, but this feels like a get-right game. At home, with a rest edge and a massive size advantage, it’s the kind of game they can slowly pull away. Cornell may hit a few early threes, but once the pace slows and the rebounding shows up, the game could shift sharply.

That said, the total might be the sharper angle. Cornell forces tempo and shoots quickly, and if they hit enough early shots, they could bait Michigan State into running a bit more. Late fouls could also push this Over, even if the pace isn’t wild.

Still, I’m leaning Under. Michigan State will do everything they can to control flow, and that usually works in non-conference home games.

Best Bet: Under 149.5 (-110).

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