It is the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road at the Crisler Center to take on the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night. This is a Big Ten matchup featuring two teams on very different paths as February arrives. Michigan sits at the top of the conference standings and continues to look like one of the most complete teams in college basketball. Penn State, meanwhile, has struggled through a difficult season and is trying to build some late momentum. The first meeting between these teams earlier this year was tight and competitive, but much has changed since then. Now the Wolverines are rolling with one of the best resumes in the country, while the Nittany Lions are simply trying to stack positive performances together.
Penn State is 10-12 on the season and coming off a much-needed victory. The Nittany Lions beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers at home, snapping an eight-game losing streak. It was their first win since late December after a winless month of January. Penn State will return home after this game to host the USC Trojans. Following that contest, the Nittany Lions head west to face the Washington Huskies and then travel to Oregon to meet the Ducks.
The Michigan Wolverines have won six straight games and continue to climb in national rankings. Their only loss of the season came in early January, a three-point defeat to the Wisconsin Badgers. Michigan owns several impressive wins, including a 40-point victory over Gonzaga. After hosting Penn State, the Wolverines will travel to Columbus to play Ohio State and then remain on the road to face Northwestern. Michigan returns home on Valentine’s Day to take on the UCLA Bruins.
Penn State vs. Michigan: When and where
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, MI
Penn State vs. Michigan: Where to watch or stream
Watch: Fox Sports 1
Streaming: FuboTV
Penn State vs. Michigan: Betting odds
Spread: Michigan -25.5, Penn State +25.5
Moneyline: Michigan -10000, Penn State +3015
Total: 161.5
Penn State vs. Michigan: Series history
All-time series: Michigan leads 32-14
Last meeting: Michigan 74, Penn State 72 on January 6, 2026
Projected starting lineups
Penn State Nittany Lions
#4 Kayden Mingo, 14.1 ppg
#10 Josh Reed, 10.0 ppg
#5 Freddie Dilione V, 13.9 ppg
#11 Eli Rice, 7.9 ppg
#7 Dominick Stewart, 7.0 ppg
Michigan Wolverines
#23 Yaxel Lendeborg, 14.7 ppg
#21 Morez Johnson Jr., 13.8 ppg
#15 Aday Mara, 10.8 ppg
#3 Elliot Cadeau, 10.4 ppg
#4 Nimari Burnett, 8.2 ppg
Big Ten showdown
The last meeting between these teams was competitive in Happy Valley, but the gap between them has widened since then. Michigan has the depth, size, and shooting to compete for a national championship. When the Wolverines are making shots and controlling the glass, they are difficult for any opponent to handle.
Penn State is fighting through a lost season and faces one of the toughest environments in the league. The Nittany Lions will need an exceptional performance to keep this close, but Michigan appears to have too much firepower. Expect the Wolverines to control the tempo and pull away as the game progresses, leading to a lopsided result by the final buzzer.