Michigan vs. Northwestern Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Thursday, Feb. 22 (Take the Over)
Northwestern is in a great position to secure back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Wildcats are fourth in the Big 10 and will face two of the worst teams in the conference over the next six days, starting with the last-place Michigan Wolverines on Thursday.
Michigan is in the midst of a lost season at just 8-18 overall and the seat could be hot for Juwan Howard, who went to an Elite 8 and a Sweet 16 over his first three seasons in Ann Arbor. Since upsetting ranked Wisconsin on Feb. 7, Michigan has lost three straight games by double figures and will be a double-digit underdog again Thursday night in Evanston.
Here’s the betting preview for Thursday’s Big 10 battle with a best bet.
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Michigan vs. Northwestern odds, spread and total
Michigan vs. Northwestern betting trends
- Michigan is 7-19 ATS this season
- Northwestern is 13-11-2 ATS this season
- Michigan is 3-9 ATS as an underdog this season
- Northwestern is 7-7-2 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 15-11 in Michigan games this season
- The OVER is 16-9-1 in Northwestern games this season
Michigan vs. Northwestern how to watch
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 22
- Game time: 8 p.m. EST
- Venue: Welsh Ryan Arena
- How to watch (TV): FS1
- Michigan record: 8-18 (3-12 Big 10)
- Northwestern record: 18-8 (9-6 Big 10)
Michigan vs. Northwestern key players to watch
Michigan
Tarris Reed Jr.: The 6-foot-10 sophomore is averaging 9.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season. Over the last five games, Reed has scored in double figures four times and has turned in a pair of double-doubles in that stretch, including a 15-point, 11-rebound performance in Saturday’s 73-63 loss to Michigan State.
Northwestern
Boo Buie: The veteran guard is chasing history and in all likelihood will become Northwestern’s all-time leading scorer Thursday night. Buie, who is fourth in the Big 10 in scoring at 19 points per game and is fourth in assists (5.2), needs just five points to pass John Shurna as the No. 1 scorer in Wildcats’ history. Buie is coming off a poor shooting performance (3-of-14), finishing with 14 points, in Sunday’s 76-72 road win over Indiana.
Michigan vs. Northwestern prediction and pick
It’s hard to imagine a worse matchup for a brutal Michigan defense that is No. 249 in KenPom in effective field goal percentage and struggles mightily to contain the perimeter, where Northwestern will have a big advantage in this matchup.
Michigan is No. 293 in defending 3-point shots while Northwestern is the No. 6 three-point shooting team in the nation, according to KenPom. The last time Michigan played a top-10 perimeter shooting team, the Wolverines were blown out by Purdue, 99-67.
Michigan might have the same advantage on its offense, though. The Wolverines are No. 60 in 3-point shooting while Northwestern is No. 300 in perimeter defense and No. 257 in effective field goal percentage. Those season-long numbers will factor in the games Dug McDaniel (suspended for away games) has suited up, but Terrance Williams II and Nimari Burnett each have 40-plus triples on the season and the Wolverines could get their points on Thursday night.
Look for the offenses to let it fly with success from downtown in a matchup of two of the worst perimeter defenses in the Big 10. These two clubs have combined to go 31-20-1 to the over this season and that trend continues.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.