Big Ten foes will lock horns when the Michigan Wolverines (13-5) challenge the Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-12) at Crisler Arena. Action begins at 8:30 pm ET on Wednesday, Jan. 20 and can be seen on BTN.
The Wolverines are hoping to rebound after their 82-71 loss to Iowa on Sunday. Derrick Walton Jr. was the team’s leading scorer with 16 points. The Golden Gophers, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 70-63 loss against Indiana on Saturday. Joey King led the team in scoring with 18 points.
The Wolverines could have their way today, as their prolific offense faces off against one of the nation’s worst defenses. They currently rank 11th in offensive efficiency while Minnesota ranks 279th in defensive efficiency.
This one isn’t expected to be close when Michigan, a big 16-point favorite, takes on Minnesota. According to the oddsmakers, the Over/Under (O/U) is currently 143 points. The Wolverines have gone 13-5 Straight Up (SU) and 10-6 Against The Spread (ATS). The Wolverines are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .497 from the field. Michigan is one of the best passing teams in the nation with an average of 16.3 assists per game. Opposing teams know they’re in for a battle when they play Michigan’s stingy defense. The Wolverines are one of the top teams when it comes to defense, allowing just 63.9 points per game. Not making mistakes with the ball is a staple of the Michigan offense, which averages just 9.9 turnovers per game.
In the other locker room, the Golden Gophers have records of 4-12 ATS and 6-12 SU. Minnesota has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 2-7 record. Offensively, the Golden Gophers have really sputtered in the last 10 games. Their season average has fallen to 69.9 points per game after averaging only 64.0 during that stretch. Taking care of the basketball is something the Golden Gophers do very well, averaging just 11.3 turnovers per game.
These conference foes meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. Michigan won the last game in the matchup, bumping its SU record to 9-1 over Minnesota in their most recent meetings. The Wolverines also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3. Michigan held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers one time, while Minnesota was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Mich, ATS Winner – Mich, O/U – Over
Notes
Michigan is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Michigan’s last 7 games.
Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home.
Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Michigan’s last 6 games when playing Minnesota.
Winless against their conference, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are 0-6 SU against their rivals, while Michigan sits at 3-2 SU against its foes.
Minnesota scores an average of just 69.9 points per game (ranked 253rd). Michigan ranks 28th in points allowed, giving up 63.9 points per game.
Minnesota scores just 66.8 points per away game (ranked 238th). Michigan ranks 14th in points allowed at home, giving up 57.9 points.
The Michigan Wolverines have a defensive rating of 98.4 (ranked 94th), while the Minnesota Golden Gophers have an offensive rating of 103.0 (ranked 234th).
The Michigan Wolverines have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking eighth in the nation with a FG% of 49.7%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have an underachieving 1-5 record.
The Michigan Wolverines and the Minnesota Golden Gophers both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Michigan is eighth and fourth in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Minnesota is 304th and 282nd in these categories.
Michigan ranks 42nd in assists, registering 16.3 per game. Minnesota performs worse at 265th with 12.2 assists per game.
The Michigan Wolverines make an average of 5.8 steals per game. The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 4-5 when they allow 5 or more steals.
