Michigan and Ohio State didn’t meet on the soccer field in 2020 as the Wolverines struggled with COVID-19 issues, but the rivals’ only scheduled basketball meeting on Sunday on CBS will make up for the canceled gridiron clash. The No. 3 Wolverines and No. 4 Buckeyes are both in the mix for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and have been particularly hot lately.
Michigan (15-1, 10-1 Big Ten) has won a total of four games in a row, including two in a row since returning from a 23-day break between games last Sunday. However, Ohio State (18-4, 12-4) has won seven in a row and could still compete for the league title with a win over the Wolverines. This is the 16th time these teams have met when both are in the rankings, but it will be their best ever combined rankings for a match in the series.
Unlike in football, a regular season game can’t make or break a basketball season, and both squads are on their way to great NCAA Tournament seeds no matter what happens on Sunday. But this top-five clash of rivals could give a look at who’s more likely to get a deep run in the post-season, and it should be one of the best games of this season in the ultra-competitive Big Ten.
View information
- When: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET
- True: Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio
- TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- THERE: CBS Sports app (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
Storylines
Michigan: Michigan limits opponents to 32% 3-point shooting in Big Ten games, which is the second-best rating in the conference. The Wolverines’ 39.2% 3-point shooting rate in league matches is in second place in the conference. In short, the Wolverines win the battle from beyond the arc. But they are deadly in the paint too, with 7-1 center Hunter Dickinson making a run as the league’s freshman and being the team’s top scorer with 14.6 points per game. But he has a lot of help with Isaiah Livers and Franz Wagner, who are versatile forwards with a good size and multi-spot skill score.
Ohio state: EJ Liddell has been a monster lately, averaging 18.1 points per game over the Buckeyes’ seven-game winning streak. The 6-7 second forward is a bit below par, but is nonetheless a solid shot blocker and one of the most improved players in the country. While his inner play accounts for much of the team’s recent success, the Buckeyes also ranked second with 3 points per game at 8.6 in league games. In short, this is an offensive elite team. If there’s a demand for Ohio State to address its home defenses. No one greater than 6-8 is part of the regular rotation, which means defending Dickinson can be challenging.
Game prediction, select
Last Chances:
Ohio State Buckeyes +1.5
The Buckeyes are the real deal, but Michigan is the best team they’ve played this season. The Wolverines have not missed a moment since their long layoff and have the height and athletic ability to be the first team since Purdue on Jan. 19 to keep Ohio State under 70 points. Prediction: Michigan 75, Ohio State 68 (MICH +1.5)
So who wins every basketball game in college today? And which underdogs provide astonishing surprises? Visit SportsLine now to make a choice for every game, all of the unbiased model that simulates every game 10,000 times, And invent.