Bodog Beat

The Michigan State Spartans (21-5 SU, 13-9-1 ATS) are in a tight spot. (AP Images)

They lost 72-54 at Purdue (-2.5) last week, leaving MSU just a game up on the Boilermakers in the Big Ten standings. But the Spartans get a little bit of a breather on Wednesday night as they welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes (14-13 SU, 12-9 ATS) to East Lansing. Iowa has only won once on the road all season, and that was against The Citadel (+9.5) in non-conference action.

But hold the phone. The Hawkeyes have played most of the Big Ten slate without Cyrus Tate, their captain, center and lone senior. Tate suffered a high ankle sprain on Jan. 8 against Minnesota, starting a 1-7 SU and 3-5 ATS slide. But Tate has played a few minutes here and there since then, and Iowa is 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS in its past four games. Get your college basketball picks with Bodog today.