No. 6 Wisconsin Visits Michigan in Big Ten Showdown
The Wisconsin Badgers visit the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday in a Big Ten showdown. Last season, Michigan was not supposed to enter the conversation when it came to the Big Ten basketball title. However, the Wolverines overcame the loss of two big players and won the conference.
This season the Wolverines are depleted as well, but are not in too bad of shape after more than three weeks of conference games.
However, losing Caris LeVert the team’s high scorer has complicated matters further. Michigan lost LeVert for the season after he fractured his left foot.
On Saturday, the Wolverines will welcome the No. 6 ranked Badgers, which begins a stretch of five games with teams battling for the conference title.
Michigan is currently 12-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Wolverines are tough at home, as they have lost just three home games in Big Ten play over a span of more than three years.
However, the last of the three losses was against today’s opponent Wisconsin. The Badgers are 17-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play. Wisconsin is tied for first in the conference with the Indiana Hoosiers. Wisconsin has won five of its past six games played in Ann Arbor.
In Wisconsin’s last visit to Ann Arbor, the Badgers won 72-65 behind 25 points from Frank Kaminsky the 7-footer. He has returned to action after sitting out a loss on January 11 to Rutgers with a concussion.
Wisconsin has Kaminsky back in the lineup, but lost Traevon Jackson. The point guard broke his foot and will be sidelined for six weeks or longer.
Bronson Koenig is starting in his place and has scored 10 points or more in each of his three starts.
Wisconsin has won their five conference games with Kaminsky in the lineup by an average point difference of 18.8 points.
Things have not been so easy for the Wolverines. The five wins in the conference by Michigan have all been by less than 10 points and the losses to Ohio State and Purdue averaged 16 points.
Michigan is 3-1 in its past four games versus top-10 opponents, though its one shot thus far this season saw them routed by Arizona, who was then No. 3 by a score of 80-53 last month.
However, those four games included a victory over Wisconsin last January when the Badgers were No. 3.
After Michigan hosts Wisconsin, they played at home against Nebraska, Iowa and Michigan State, before traveling to Indiana who is now ranked No. 23.
The line opened with Wisconsin favored by 7 points, but has increased to 10.5 points. I like Wisconsin to overpower Michigan in the paint and shut their guards down in the backcourt. Take Wisconsin less the points.
