In sports, we always remember who won the championship in any given year, but it is really only the most die-hard fans who can remember the team that lost in the big game. For many of those losing teams, the chances of getting back to the big game are very often slim. We see it all the time in every sport, where a team gets all the way to the title games, loses, and then is not hear from again in quite some time.
That is what the Michigan Wolverines are trying to avoid after losing to Villanova in the NCAAB National Championship Game last year. They are very much among the best teams in college basketball again this season, but rather than looking ahead to March Madness, they are simply focusing on the next game up. That next game will come on Friday night when the Wolverines go on the road to face Indiana in a game that they will start as a 4 ½ point favorite. The point total for this one has been set at 133 ½.
Michigan at Indiana NCAA Basketball Odds & Expert Pick
Continue to evolve …#GoBlue 〽️🏀 pic.twitter.com/NryXYy0t15
— Michigan Men’s Basketball (@umichbball) 24 de enero de 2019
- When: Friday, January 25 at 6:30 PM EST
- Where: Assembly Hall, Bloomington
- TV: FS1
- Radio: TuneIn
- Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
- NCAA Basketball Odds: Michigan Wolverines -4.5 (Total 133.5)
Why bet on the Michigan Wolverines?
The Wolverines are a solid 18-1 on the season, but their last two games have given some a little cause for concern. They ended last weekend with a loss to Wisconsin in a game that they started as a 3 ½ point favorite, and then followed that up with a less than convincing 59-57 win over Minnesota as a 12-point favorite.
The Wolverines are still in the top 5 in the national rankings, but they are not going to stay there if they cannot get back to the type of form that we have come to expect from them over the last couple of seasons. Michigan has not been a great bet against the spread this season as a favorite, going just 8-10 ATS, which includes being 1-2 ATS as a road favorite. They have covered just 4 times in their last 10 games overall.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 71.84
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.98
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.05
- Free Throw Percentage: 66.47
- Total Rebounds: 35.89
Defense
- Total Score: 57.05
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.00
- Three-Point Percentage: 30.69
- Free Throw Percentage: 65.62
- Total Rebounds: 32.68
Why bet on the Indiana Hoosiers?
Indiana is coming into this one with a respectable 12-7 record on the season, but they have not been as consistent in conference play, where they are just 3-5 SU versus Big Ten opposition. Even more concerning is the fact that they are currently on a 5-game losing skid, a run that began with a 74-63 loss on the road to this Michigan Wolverines team, who was ranked #2 at that time.
They have played ranked teams 3 times this year, winning just one, a 96-73 drubbing of Marquette that came way back in the early part of the season. Indiana is averaging more PPG than Michigan this season, but they are almost 10 PPG off the pace being set by the Wolverines on the defensive side of the court. The Hoosiers are 3-4 ATS as the underdog this season, albeit 2-1 ATS as the home dog.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 74.16
- Field Goal Percentage: 49.81
- Three-Point Percentage: 33.33
- Free Throw Percentage: 65.46
- Total Rebounds: 35.63
Defense
- Total Score: 66.21
- Field Goal Percentage: 41.44
- Three-Point Percentage: 30.56
- Free Throw Percentage: 64.00
- Total Rebounds: 33.32
Michigan at Indiana NCAA Basketball Betting Trends
- Michigan is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
- Michigan is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Michigan’s last 7 games on the road
- Indiana is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
- Indiana is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana’s last 6 games at home
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction for Michigan at Indiana
The Wolverines are not playing their best ball right now, but you would still expect them to handle a Hoosiers team that is on a very poor run of form over the last 5 games. I think Michigan wins this one going away, covering the spread in the process.
Score: Michigan Wolverines 73 – Indiana Hoosiers 64
