The battle for supremacy in the tight Big Ten Conference race rages onward this weekend when Wisconsin makes a trip to Michigan.
TV schedule: Saturday, February 9, 12:00 pm ET. FOX.
Arena: Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Two of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference will collide this weekend as league competition heats up prior to the start of March Madness. Surging No. 19 Wisconsin (17-6, 9-3), which is on a six-game victory streak, will visit No. 7 Michigan (21-2, 10-2) at the Crisler Center, where the Wolverines are 14-0 in the 2018-19 campaign.
The Badgers, 6-3 on the road in the present term, beat Michigan by 10 points on Jan. 19 in Madison, Wis., handing the Wolverines their inaugural setback of the 2018-19 stanza. It’s an understatement that Michigan is seeking to exact revenge on Wisconsin for last month’s loss.
For the moment, the Wolverines are in first place within the rugged Big Ten, which is perhaps the best conference in the country, save for the Atlantic Coast Conference. But lurking behind Michigan at a game or so back are the Badgers, as well as No. 9 Michigan State and No. 15 Purdue.
This duel obviously has Big Ten ramifications, however, it doesn’t end there. Wisconsin and the Wolverines are fighting for positioning in the Big Dance as well. Michigan is hovering around a No. 2 seed for March Madness as it currently stands, but capturing the league’s regular-season title could get the Wolverines up to the one-line.
The Badgers, meanwhile, are projected by many bracketologists as a No. 5 seed in the field of 68. They have an NCAA NET rating of No. 12, while Michigan is slotted at No. 6. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index says that the Wolverines possess a 67.0 percent chance to prevail, which is logical, given that Michigan is at home.
Both units average roughly 71 points per contest, and each school is fairly stingy on defense. Rebounding, assists, blocks, steals, and turnovers committed are relatively even. Wisconsin holds the edge in shooting percentages from the field and beyond the arc. The Wolverines are slightly better from the charity stripe. I’m struggling with which group to pick in this encounter because I think it’s going to come down to the wire. Since Michigan is suiting up on its own turf, I’ll take the safe choice and select the Wolverines to succeed in a close clash.
Prediction: Michigan 68 – Wisconsin 62