Michigan State plays at Illinois on Saturday, a game between teams that went a combined 1-9 in October.
Yes, both stink. That much is clear. So how come the betting line was a big, fat blank until Thursday, when some houses finally installed the Spartans as a seven-point pick?
The answer is Wes Lunt. A back injury has knocked him out since the second quarter of the Oct. 8 Purdue game. Replacements Chayce Crouch and Jeff George Jr. have not showed much, and Crouch is now out for the season.
Oddsmaker RJ Bell said Lunt is worth about five points a game, and if there's a 50-50 chance he'll play Saturday, the line will reflect that. In other words, if Lunt is ruled out, the line might slide to 9.5. If he's ready to roll _ and he did practice this week _ Illinois would be about a 4.5-point 'dog.
On to this week's Big Ten slate.
