It’s been a roller coaster of a season for the Indiana Hoosiers, but all’s well on the thrill ride presently. They will aim to keep it going in a tough Big Ten matchup against the Michigan Wolverines.
Indiana has won three straight games to get back into the conference mix. Michigan may be on the March Madness bubble coming down the stretch and could really use some signature wins. The Wolverines are at home in this one and have the ability to win this matchup, but it should be competitive as Indiana is playing well and has had the superior season.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 26, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN2.
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Odds at BookMaker.eu
Indiana is 14-6 straight up and 9-9 against the spread. The Hoosiers have not been good in road games this season, failing to cover in all three of their attempts. Indiana is 7-7 against the spread as the favorite this year and 2-2 trying to cover as the underdog.
Michigan is 13-7 straight up but only 6-11 against the spread as it hasn’t lived up to expectations. The Wolverines have played ten home games and have only covered in three of them. They are only 3-10 against the spread as the favorite this year but 2-1 as the underdog, so the spread is something to watch closely as either team could conceivably be a slight favorite.
Key Stat
Three. That’s how many losses the Hoosiers suffered early in Big Ten play to put them behind the eight-ball, losing to Nebraska, Wisconsin and Maryland. A non-conference loss to Louisville was also added in, as Indiana swiftly dropped out of the top-25 national rankings.
They have bounced back with three straight conference wins and now find themselves only 1½ games behind the Big Ten leaders. Indiana beat Kansas and North Carolina in the non-conference slate so the high-end capability is still there.
The Hoosiers took a hit with the early-conference lull but have seemingly bounced back and are aiming to finish strong.
Player to Watch
Zak Irvin -- Michigan’s senior guard is the team leader and the go-to guy. He is averaging 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He is shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from three-point range.
Irvin has been a key contributor for all four of his seasons in Ann Arbor and wants to go out on a high note. He had 15 points and a pair of steals in a win last time out over Illinois and will aim to put together a big scoring game against Indiana.
Michigan has four different players who average in double figures in points but Irvin is often the guy counted on to score in important spots. Indiana plays at a fast pace but does a nice job defensively, so it will likely make Irvin work for his points in this Big Ten contest.
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Indiana lost standout forward OG Anunoby to a season-ending knee injury a few games back, and it was a big blow as he has NBA potential. Anunoby was averaging 11.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per contest and the Hoosiers must withstand that loss the rest of the way.
Michigan is relatively healthy and badly needs to pick up this win. However, Indiana is playing well and has the more talented roster.
It won’t be easy on the road, but the choice is for the Hoosiers to emerge with a slight victory.
College Basketball Odds: Indiana 77, Michigan 74
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