One of the hottest teams in the country takes the floor in the NCAAB Michigan at Minnesota pick on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis. The Wolverines are thinking Final 4 after rising to #7 in the country following a 77-54 annihilation of Wisconsin on Tuesday as just -2.5 home favorites.
Minnesota is no slouch though, especially at home where they have gone 10-0 on the season. The Golden Gophers have beaten #21 Ohio State by 17 in the Twin Cities and toppled #5 Iowa 102-95 at Williams Arena on Christmas night. Minnesota has been stomped in two straight road games however, including 82-57 in Ann Arbor on January 6th as +7.5 underdogs. The Gophers are +5.5 ‘dogs on Saturday.
Michigan Tries to Avoid a Letdown
The Wolverines are a somewhat surprising 11-0 on the season, and seem to be getting better as the weeks pile on. That’s never been more evident than in the 22-point win over #7 Wisconsin this week. The Wolverines were up 17 by halftime, and held Wisconsin to an abysmal 20-65 (31%) from the field.
Blowout wins are nothing new to Juwan Howard’s squad heading into the NCAAB Michigan at Minnesota pick. The only single digit win the Wolverines have this season is a 62-58 home victory over Penn State on December 13th as -7 point favorites. That and an 81-71 OT win over Oakland (as -31.5 favorites) are the only games UM has failed to cover the number this season.
The only thing preventing bettors from dropping the hammer on Michigan and the points on Saturday is that the -5.5 looks way too easy🚩🚩. 55% of the public still likes Minnesota, and the line has stayed firm since open.
Minnesota in the Midst of a Gauntlet
The Big Ten is loaded this season, and Minnesota is finding out just how hard the grind can be as Saturday’s game will be their 7th straight vs. a ranked team. The Golden Gophers are a respectable 4-3 over that span however, but really need a bounce back at home vs. Michigan.
Saturday’s tilt is tough to handicap, as the Golden Gophers are undefeated at home this season but have lost their last two games overall by a combined 40 points. That includes a 57-82 defeat at Michigan two contests ago, in which Marcus Carr was the only Minnesota player in double figures with 14 points. Carr was just 5-16 vs. Michigan’s #1 defense in the Big Ten and Minnesota shot just 32% (22-68) as a team however.
Michigan also has the top scoring offense in the Big Ten, and is 27th in the country putting up 82 ppg. Minnesota surprisingly has the 3rd worst scoring defense in the conference, and is at a mismatch against 7’1″ Hunter Dickinson who had 28 points for Michigan in the first meeting.
Free NCAAB Michigan at Minnesota Pick
Any reason to think the Wolverines don’t win this one by double digits? Holding the Golden Gophers to 57 points in the last meeting has much more to do with matchups than home or away. This game has trap written all over it, but it’s just too tempting.
Michigan 74 – Minnesota 64
Free Pick: Michigan -5.5
Free Pick: Under 147.5
