The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a long rest, but the could still be smoking as they enter Thursday’s game against the Montana Grizzlies on the heels of a lengthy win streak. Read on for a preview of this game below. Register here to make your pick.
Betting Preview for the Montana Grizzlies vs Michigan Wolverines College Basketball Championship Tournament Round 1 Game on March 15 2018
Where: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita
When: Thursday, March 15, 00:00 PM ET
Line: Montana Grizzlies (n/a) vs Michigan Wolverines (n/a) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: TBS
Betting on the Montana Grizzlies (26-7)
What’s there to say about Montana? Well, the Grizzlies have a decent defense that gives up 68.8 points per game and ranks 65th in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency with 99.3 points allowed per 100 possessions. They are a pesky squad that steals the ball 7.7 times per outing and forces opponents to commit 15 turnovers per contest. Michigan is going to try to control the game’s tempo like it always does, so Montana will have to focus on rebounding the ball in order to avoid the Wolverines from spoiling any momentum they Grizzlies will have at any point of the game. Montana gets 37.4 rebounds per game. Junior Michael Oguine has been hot of late, scoring an average of 21.5 points over his last four games. Michigan will have mark on his back, so guys like Admaad Rorie (17.2 PPG) and Jamar Akoh (13.1 PPG) should step up.
Betting on the Michigan Wolverines (28-7)
The Wolverines are arguable the hottest team going into the first round of the National Tournament. Michigan is riding a nine-game win streak, a stretch that includes a 75-66 in on Sunday in the Big Ten Championship Game against Purdue. Michigan has covered the spread in eight of those outings. They also defeated Michigan State in the semis of the Big Ten tourney. The Wolverines are averaging 73.6 points per game but have an average scoring margin of +10.1 because of their mighty defense that caps opposing teams at 63.5 points per outing – eighth best defensively in the nation. Mortiz Wagner, a 6-11 forward, is posed to give opponents some real headaches in the tournament. He is averaging 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while also shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 39.6 from behind the arc.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan moves on to the next round with a 78-68 win.
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