In what figures to be an exciting battle between youth and experience this Tuesday night, the No.1 Kentucky Wildcats take on the No. 2 Michigan State Spartans in Game 1 of the State Farm Champions Classic at the United Center in Chicago, IL.
Kentucky Wildcats vs Michigan State Spartans: betting odds, State Farm preview
The nation’s top rated teams clash early and college basketball betting gets an early wake-up call as Kentucky battles Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic.
Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Early lines indicate that Kentucky will open as a 2.5-point favorite, according to college basketball odds at OddsShark.com.
The Wildcats put together the nation’s top recruiting class this offseason, bringing in six highly acclaimed freshman stars led by the nation’s top forward recruit, Julius Randle.
Michigan State meanwhile returns four starters from last year’s Sweet 16 team and appears to be poised for a deep run in 2014. This game will serve as a great indicator as to where these two teams stand early in the year.
While Kentucky put together the best recruiting class in the nation overall, the nation’s top recruit landed with the No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks. Freshman guard Andrew Wiggins will put his talents on display in the second game of the Champions Classic going up against the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils.
Duke has a solid group of returning starters, but will also have a heavily hyped freshman in action in Jabari Parker.
In another battle between two ranked teams Tuesday night, the No. 10 Florida Gators visit the No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers. Florida lost all three of its top scorers from last year this offseason, and will get a chance to give the new group an early challenge going up against a solid Badgers defense.
Wisconsin has the chance to make an early statement as well, although probably as an underdog according to 5Dimes.eu.
Rounding out Tuesday’s ranked action, the No. 14 VCU Rams visit the No. 24 Virginia Cavaliers. Moving over to the Atlantic 10 this season, the Rams are the odds-on favorite to win their new conference’s title returning both of last year’s top scorers in Treveon Graham and Juvonte Reddic.
On Saturday, the No. 11 Ohio State Buckeyes visit the No. 17 Marquette Golden Eagles. With both teams expected to be in the hunt for their respective conference titles this season, this should be a very interesting matchup.
College basketball odds on every game on the Vegas board every day, check out Odds Shark.
