No one has solved the No. 7 Michigan Wolverines this season. Can they get past this week still undefeated? Up next for them is a rematch against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who are looking to be a whole lot more competitive this time around. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Michigan Wolverines vs Minnesota Golden Gophers NCAA College Basketball Game on January 16 2021
Where: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, MN
When: Saturday, January 16, 2021, 2:00 PM ET
Line: Michigan Wolverines (odds) vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (odds) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Michigan Wolverines (odds)
Record: 11-0 Overall / 6-0 Conference
Michigan just keeps on crushing the competition. The Wolverines remain undefeated this season after blowing out the No.9 Wisconsin Badgers at home last Tuesday to the tune of a 77-54 score. Not even the Badgers’ patented slow-grind basketball could stop Michigan, which has now beaten their last three ranked opponents by a margin of 22.3 points. Among those was the Golden Gophers, whom Michigan defeated in Ann Arbor on Jan. 6, 82-57. The Golden Gophers had a first-hand experience of how great Michigan is on both ends of the floor. Michigan shot 56.9 percent from the field in the first meeting with Minnesota, while the Golden Gophers shot just 32.4 percent and also outrebounded, 40-31. Hunter Dickinson scored 28 points in that game for Michigan, which is both top 10 in the nation in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiencies. The Wolverines have shot 50.0 percent or better in each of their last five games.
Michigan, which is averaging 82.0 points per game, is 6-2 against the spread in its last eight games on the road.
Betting on the Minnesota Golden Gophers (odds)
Record: 10-4 Overall / 3-4 Conference
Minnesota is on a two-game losing skid. After the aforementioned loss to Michigan, the Golden Gophers suffered an 86-71 road loss to the No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes. Both those games were on the road, so a game back in familiar territory might do wonders for the Golden Gophers, who are averaging 79.1 points per game, thus far this season. The Golden Gophers played faster than most teams Michigan faced prior to these two squad’s first meeting, as Minnesota got 68 field-goal attempts, which were more than the 63.8 average the Wolverines are allowing to opponents this season. Minnesota is getting its chances on offense. It’s just that the Golden Gophers’ shots have not been falling of late. Against Iowa, Minnesota shot only 35.2 percent. Nevertheless, expect Minnesota to keep pushing the pace, as it hopes that Marcus Carr will get better scoring support this time around. Carr, the team’s leading scorer with 20.9 points per game average, had 14 points in the loss to Michigan — the only double-digit scorer for Minnesota.
Minnesota is 5-0 against the spread in its last five home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan wins, 77-71.
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