The Michigan Wolverines take on the top-seeded Wisconsin Badgers today in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. The game is scheduled for a noon start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the College Basketball Betting Odds for the game have Wisconsin as a heavy favorite to end the Wolverines’ season.
Michigan played exceptional in yesterday’s win over Illinois, going on multiple runs and keeping the Illini from ever really building substantial momentum. The Wolverines shot 49 percent from the floor and got a game-high 18 points from Aubrey Dawkins while Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahkman added 15 points, eight rebounds and made a difference at both ends of the floor.
Wisconsin has had almost a week off from their last game, but they are still heavily favored in this one. A slip-up against Michigan probably still won’t take them off the two-line in the NCAA Tournament, but Bo Ryan’s team is hunting a Big Ten Tournament title to go along with the regular season crown.
Michigan played well in a 69-64 overtime loss to Wisconsin back in January, but the Wolverines did have Derrick Walton Jr. on the floor then. That was actually the last time Walton played in a game this season, battling a bad foot injury. He could possibly be back for this game and told reporters yesterday that he’s going to get himself on the floor.
Frank Kaminsky has led the Badgers to a 28-3 record this season and a conference tournament title could put them in talks for a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance, but Wisconsin is just worried about taking games one at a time.
Wisconsin has been on a mission all season and they’re obviously the class of the conference. But Michigan really has nothing to lose in this position. John Beilein has said his team probably wouldn’t accept a CBI invitation if it came to that.
A .500 record is required to participate in the NIT and a loss today would put Michigan a game below that threshold. Expect the Wolverines to play wide open, just like they did yesterday. And while they hang around and push the Badgers with continued solid play from Zak Irvin, Wisconsin is going to be too much in this one.
Free Pick: Wisconsin 70, Michigan 63
NCAA Basketball: Who Can Win it All?
Teddy Covers and Steve Fezzik from Pregame.com discuss who they feel will win it all in the NCAA Tournament, while throwing in some teams that have a chance to make a deep run in the tournament.
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