Michigan State is favored big again this week as they cement their position atop the college basketball polls and championship betting odds menus.
With Michigan State's 78-74 win over No. 1 Kentucky last week, the Spartans have taken on the early season title of college basketball's team to beat.
They'll be in action Monday night hosting the Portland Pilots.
Michigan State failed to cover as a big chalk last Friday against Columbia, winning by just nine points as a 23.5-point home favorite. The Spartans will need a more convincing win than that on Monday to cover a 22.5-point spread against Portland.
On Friday, the Spartans head to Brooklyn, New York to participate in the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic going up against Virginia Tech. Since dropping its home opener to USC Upstate, the Hokies are 2-0 SU and ATS with home wins over West Virginia and Western Carolina.
The winner of the Virginia Tech vs. Michigan State matchup goes on to play the winner of Friday's Oklahoma vs. Seton Hall matchup on Saturday in the tournament's final.
Another tournament featuring some of the nation's top teams starts on Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The UNC Tar Heels take on Richmond at noon and the defending NCAA champion Louisville Cardinals play against Fairfield, with huge spreads expected for the favorites at 5Dimes.eu in this tournament.
If UNC and Louisville both win, the two teams would meet in the Naismith Bracket finals on Sunday.
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While a potential UNC vs. Louisville matchup would add another game between ranked opponents to the college basketball card on Sunday, the only one that is currently scheduled is on Tuesday night when the Memphis Tigers visit the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Both teams have high expectations coming into the season, and this game will serve as a big early test for both teams. Oklahoma State has averaged over 100 points per game (102.3) through its first three games of the season.
In addition to Memphis, the only other ranked team in the nation going on the road to a non-neutral location this week is the Wichita State Shockers. The Shockers were last year's Cinderella team, topping Ohio State to earn a Final Four berth before eventually falling to Louisville 72-68.
The Shockers are off to a 4-0 SU start this season and visit the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday night.