Game Previews for Michigan State (Baylor) and Michigan (Eastern Michigan)

Michigan hosts Eastern Michigan in Juwan Howard's first game this season as the head coach of the Wolverines.

Howard has been on the bench with his team, since the fourth game of the season but this will be his first game as the head coach since he recovered from a heart procedure that he had take place in September.

The previous game between these two teams: The Wolverines on a neutral court defeated the Eagles on 11/11/2022. The final score was Michigan 88, Eastern Michigan 83 at Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit, MI.

The last five times these teams have played one another: Michigan has defeated Eastern Michigan in four of the last five times they have played one another. The last time the Eagles defeated the Wolverines was in 2014 when EMU won by a final score of 45-42.

Eastern Michigan this season: The Eagles lost at Butler and FAU, were defeated on a neutral court by North Dakota, and lost at home to Oakland. EMU has defeated Georgia Southern at home in the MAC-SBC Challenge, as well as beating Cleveland State and Lake Superior State on their home court. They also on the road defeated Central Arkansas and Detroit Mercy this season.

Michigan this season: The Wolverines had an impressive 16-point road win in the Gavitt Tipoff Games against St. John's earlier this season. However, they did lose at home to Long Beach State in mid-November and they lost to Memphis in which they had a strong second half of play but couldn't overcome a difficult first half of play to the Tiger to come back and win in the Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis. Michigan did defeat Stanford in that tournament and also won their last game on the road against Iowa. The other wins this season were at home against Youngstown State and UNC Ashville.

Game Prediction: Michigan 81, Eastern Michigan 67

Michigan State travels close to home to take on No. 6 ranked Baylor at Little Caesars Arena, the home of the Detroit Pistons.

The last two times these two teams have played against one another: The Bears have won the last two times they have played the Spartans.

The current win streak in the history between these two programs: Baylor has won the last two games between these two teams, having a two-game winning streak between these two programs.

The last meeting between these two programs: The Bears defeated the Spartans on a neutral court in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament by a final score of 75-58 in November of 2021.

Michigan State this season: The Spartans lost at Nebraska and were defeated by Arizona and Duke on a neutral court this season. Michigan State also lost at home to James Madison and Wisconsin. The Spartans have defeated Butler at home in the Gavitt Tipoff Games, as well as beating Southern Indiana, Georgia Southern, and Alcorn State on their home court.

Baylor this season: The Bears had an impressive 18-point win in their Big East-Big 12 Battle game against Seton Hall in their last game. Baylor has defeated some power five conference opponents in Auburn who they beat on a neutral court, Oregon State in the NIT Season Tip-0ff game in New York, and Flordia as well to capture the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament championship.

Prediction: Michigan State pulls off the upset and defeats Baylor by the final score of 77-76.