Michigan State Spartans vs Penn State Nittany Lions Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 12/13/25

After a late-game collapse against Duke, No. 9 Michigan State will look to bounce back against Penn State on Saturday afternoon. Over the final nine minutes against Duke, the Spartans managed to score only four points in seven minutes, which proved costly as they fell to the Blue Devils 66-60. The Spartans have one of the most pesky defenses in all of college basketball, and according to KenPom they’re ranked 6th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. On Saturday, the Nittany Lions will have their hands full as points will be tough to come by against this Spartans team.

Penn State is coming off a lopsided 113-72 loss to Indiana, a game where the Hoosiers shot an incredible 68.9% from the floor. If Penn State doesn’t improve things on defense, Michigan State will have a great opportunity to run away with this one early on. The Spartans don’t only have the edge on defense, they have a major edge on the glass, averaging 45 rebounds per game compared to Penn State’s 34.7. Michigan State’s physicality and defensive pressure should wear down the Nittany Lions over the course of the game. Look for Jaxon Kohler and Jeremy Fears Jr. to set the tone by controlling the tempo and creating frustration for Penn State as the Spartans get back on track Saturday afternoon. 

Michigan State vs Penn State prediction: Michigan State -12.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.