March Madness Sweet 16: #7 Texas A&M Aggies at #3 Michigan Wolverines
Two Teams on a Roll Meet in this One
The second Sweet 16 game today, Thursday, March 22, tips off at 7:37 p.m. as the scrappy #7 Texas A&M Aggies (22-12) take on the loaded #3 Michigan Wolverines (30-7). This West Region contest looks like it should be competitive. The Wolverines are favored by 2.5 and the over/under is at 136.0. The two clubs will battle at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Here’s our Texas A&M plays Michigan 2018 March Madness Sweet 16 pick. As is always the case, we’re offering both the spread and over/under. We will have two more NCAA Tournament picks posted today and four more tomorrow. Plus, we’ll post all of the Elite Eight games over this weekend.
Recent History
In the very tough SEC, Texas A&M finished 9-9, which placed them in the middle of the pack. In the conference tournament, they lost to Alabama 71-70 in game one. That was after beating the Crimson Tide 68-66 five days prior. After earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament, they beat the #10 Providence Friars on Mar. 16 by a score of 73-69. Two days later, they surprised the #2 UNC Tar Heels, as they easily took them down 86-65.
Michigan ended the regular season fourth in the Big Ten. In the conference tournament, they ran the table beating Nebraska 77-58, Michigan State 75-64, and Purdue 75-66. In the NCAA tourney, they beat the #14 Montana Grizzlies 61-47 and the #6 Houston Cougars 64-63. Both of these teams have hit their strides at the Big Dance.
Basic Stats and Facts
The Aggies are putting up 75.3 PPG, while the Wolverines are scoring 73.8 PPG. On defense, Michigan has been especially stingy, allowing 55.0 PPG. Texas A&M has done well too, but have not been quite so resolute, as they are giving up 67.0 PPG. Both clubs are hitting 46% of their shots, while the Aggies have an edge in rebounding (41.6/33.5) and blocked shots (6.0/3.2). Both teams are low on frees, hitting 66%. The Wolverines are hitting 36% of their threes, while the Aggies are at 33%.
Players to Watch
Amongst the five double-digit players on the Aggies, junior center Tyler Davis leads the team with 14.6 PPG and is second in rebounds with nine per game. Sophomore forward Robert Williams tops the team in rebbies with 9.3 per game. He’s scoring just over 10 PPG. From downtown, junior guard Adam Gilder is good on 40% of his shots. He’s been good for 12.4 PPG.
Michigan junior forward Moritz Wagner can hit from inside and out. Averaging 14.2 PPG and 7.1 RPG, he’s hitting 40% of his shots from beyond the arc and 53% from the field. Guards Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Charles Matthews are each good for 12-plus PPG and combine for 9.5 RPG and 5.8 APG.
Our Texas A&M Plays Michigan 2018 March Madness Sweet 16 Pick
We do like the Aggies in terms of their rebounding and blocking, but Michigan looks good when it comes to defense and three-point shots. This game will feature some impressive battles in the paint. In our Texas A&M plays Michigan 2018 March Madness Sweet 16 pick, we are going with the Wolverines at -2.5. We also like the over at 136.0.
Aggies and Wolverines Pick Summary: Michigan at -2.5 and over 136.0
