The struggling Michigan Wolverines hit the road to take on the third-ranked Arizona Wildcats in college basketball action on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 5:15 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the odds for the game have Arizona favored by double figures in this one.
Michigan has been the laughing stock of college basketball the last week, losing to the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan, at home, in back-to-back games. The Wolverines are replacing quite a bit from last season's squad, but John Beilein still has a very good club that played very well to open the season. Now they're on the brink of losing three straight games as Arizona hosts the Wolverines today. Michigan hasn't lost three straight in three years.
Arizona has played six times on their own floor this season, winning all six games. In fact, Arizona has picked up 27 straight games on their own court.
The Wildcats just knocked off Gonzaga is a very good contest earlier this week, which doesn't bode well for the Wolverines. Head coach Sean Miller has admitted expects Michigan to play better in this game and be more focused than they were in the previous two losses this week, but overall on talent there's no doubt that Arizona is the better team. But, as Michigan has shown the past two games, the best team doesn't always come out with the wins.
Michigan has been rotating a couple of bigs down low, but don't have the talent on the front line to battle with Stanley Johnson, the talented freshman for Arizona. Beilein will probably employ a pair of bigs to battle with the Cats inside with both Ricky Doyle, Mark Donnal and Max Bielfeldt. The Wolverines are so guard oriented, though, so matching up could be a problem with a bigger Arizona team.
Arizona has won an NCAA-best 36 straight games against non-conference opponents. Michigan is going to need a monster game from Caris LeVert to hang around in this one, but the Wolverines collectively are going to have to play their best game of the season as well, it can't be just one player.
The Wildcats shoot the ball well, rebound the basketball and have the star power with key guys at key positions. They're going to be too much for Michigan here.
Free Pick: Arizona 68, Michigan 57
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