The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines are one of the only few remaining undefeated teams in Division I basketball as of this writing. Indeed, beating John Beilein’s squad is a tall task, but the Northwestern Wildcats have no choice but to try and score a massive upset in Ann Arbor. They nearly did just that, though, back in December, when Northwestern came short of taking down Michigan in a 62-60 home loss.
The Wolverines and the Wildcats are +900 and +100,000 to win the national title, respectively.
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Betting Preview for the Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan Wolverines College Basketball Game on January 13, 2019
Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor
When: Sunday, January 13, 2019, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Northwestern Wildcats(odds) vs. Michigan Wolverines (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: BTN
Betting on the Northwestern Wildcats (10-6 Overall / 1-4 Conference)
At last, Northwestern broke into the win column in the Big Ten after the Wildcats defeated the Illinois Fighting Illinis on Sunday. They failed to build on that win, though, as they fell prey to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday, 73-63. Vic Law led the Wildcats in that game, as he finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds. He also had a pair assists and three steals. However, the Wildcats need to shoot better in Ann Arbor, as they only shot 38.6 percent from the field against the Hawkeyes. Michigan has an unforgiving defense that will surely make life hard for the Wildcats, but Northwestern has the patience on offense to keep itself from getting rattled. The Wildcats are 42nd in the nation with 15.8 assists per game. They are also 24th nationally with a 1.37 assist-to-turnover ratio. Northwestern is averaging 71.8 points per game and is allowing just 63.8 points per contest.
The under is 2-0 in Northwestern’s last two road games.
Betting on the Michigan Wolverines (15-0 Overall / 4-0 Conference)
The Wolverines maintained their unblemished record this season after they took down the No. 21 Indiana Hoosiers at home last Sunday, 74-63. Prior to meeting Northwestern, the Wolverines will face the Illinois Fighting Illinis on Thursday. As usual, the Wolverines used their defense to stifle their latest victim. Indiana is second in the nation with a 51.9 percent shooting from the field, but Romeo Langford and company made just 42.6 percent of their attempts from the floor. Indiana’s total score in that game was also way down the Hoosiers’ average of 77.5 points per contest this season. For the record, Michigan is third in the nation with 55.6 points allowed per game, with KenPom ranking the Wolverines’ defense fourth overall. Ignas Brazdeikis, who leads the Wolverines this season with 16.0 points per game, had 23 points on 9-for-18 shooting from the field in the first meeting with Northwestern.
At home so far this season, Michigan is 11-0 straight up (SU) but 4-7 against the spread (ATS), although they are 2-0 ATS in their last two games at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.
Writer’s Prediction
Michigan wins, 78-63.
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