The Michigan Wolverines lost a step in the race to the top of the Big Ten standings with a shocking loss to the Wisconsin Badgers over the weekend. They will look to get back in the win column, when they return home this coming Tuesday to host and square off wit the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers have been shaky of late, but they got wins against the likes of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Badgers.
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Betting Preview for the Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Michigan Wolverines College Basketball Game on January 22, 2019
Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
When: Tuesday, January 22, 2019, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Minnesota Golden Gophers (odds) vs. Michigan Wolverines (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: BTN
Betting on the Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-4 Overall / 4-3 Conference)
Minnesota has been up and down since the start of conference play. It’s hard to get a read of this team, as the Golden Gophers have defeated then-No. 22 Wisconsin Badgers on the road, 59-52, on Jan. 3 then had losses to the likes of the Maryland Terrapins at home and to the Illinois Fighting Illini on the road on Jan. 16 to the tune of a lopsided 95-68 score. The Gophers did bounce back from that embarrassing loss to the Fighting Illinis by taking down the Penn State Nittany Lions, 65-64, just last Saturday at home. The Gophers are set to face their toughest test yet of the season in No. 2 Michigan Wolverines, so that win over the Nittany Lions serves as a nice confidence booster for Minnesota, which will rely on the pair of Amir Coffey and Jordan Murphy for production. Coffey leads the team with 15.7 points per game, while Murphy has been a double-double machine with averages of 14.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
The under is 5-1- in the Golden Gophers’ last seven road games.
Betting on the Michigan Wolverines (17-1 Overall / 6-1 Conference)
Michigan has finally fallen. After several weeks of unbeaten start to the season, the Wolverines finally suffered its first loss, as they got thumped by unranked Wisconsin Badgers in Madison last Saturday, 64-54. Michigan leading-scorer Ignas Brazdeikis was a total no show, as he finished 0-for-5 from the field with just three rebounds and a block in 23 minutes of action against Wisconsin. The Badges’ defense is not a joke, but even then, Brazdeikis can’t have games like this against quality opponents. Otherwise, Michigan is going to be vulnerable to losses like the one they had against Wisconsin. Brazdeikis is putting up 14.8 points per game on 47.4 percent shooting from the field. If Michigan keeps it guards up, it should be able to bounce back against a lighter, but still dangerous opponent, in the form of Minnesota. The Wolverines us unlikely to lose any focus, though, considering they just got dealt with their first loss of the 2018-19 campaign. Plus, the Golden Gophers’ poor offense (44.0 field goal shooting percentage) can make things easier for Michigan’s vaunted defense that is third in the league with just 57.1 points allowed per game.
The Wolverines are 3-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last three home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan wins, 80-69.
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