Michigan vs Indiana NCAA 2013

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (+5.5) VS INDIANA HOOSIERS


Two of the best teams in the country are set to battle it out tonight at 9PM EST on ESPN. Michigan (20-1) is looking to prove that they are ranked #1 in the country for a reason, while Indiana (19-2) could take the lead in the Big Ten conference with a victory.

Both Michigan and Indiana enter this game with a 7-1 record against Big Ten opponents this season. Whoever wins this matchup will take full control and the lead in one of the best conferences in college basketball. I expect this game to be the best games all weekend, and should go right down to the wire.

Michigan enters this game averaging 78 points per game, 13th in the country. They are 1st in the nation averaging 1.22 points per possession and 6th shooting 40.8% from beyond the ark. As for the Hoosiers they can throw their hat in the exact same league as the Wolverines. Indiana is the highest scoring team in the country averaging 84 points per game, 2nd averaging 1.2 points per possession and 3rd shooting 42.3% from 3-point land. Just to get an idea of how similar these teams are take a look at the team comparison below;

TEAM COMPARISON
MICH		TEAM		INDY
78.0		PTS FOR		84.0
58.6		PTS AGNST		60.4
19.4		DIFF.		23.5
25.9		DEF REBOUNDS		27.5
10.8		OFF REBOUNDS		12.8
51.0		FG%		50.0
70.5		FT%		73.5
8.2		3 POINTERS		7.6
5.6		STEALS		8.0

The major reason I like Michigan in this matchup is because I feel the +5.5 they are given is very generous. I expect Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke to once again have lights out performances. It will be a real treat to see how they matchup against Indiana’s Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo. These guys are the leading scorers for the Hoosiers both averaging over 14 PPG while Zeller has also become a beast on the boards. He is 2nd in the Big Ten grabbing 8.2 rebounds per game.

Look for this matchup to immediately turn into a classic. I think that in the end, the experience and basketball intelligence of Trey Burke will prove the difference. He is averaging 7.1 assists per game and is the best in the country at finding the open man on the floor. Look for Michigan to remain the #1 team in the nation while taking the undisputed lead in the Big Ten conference after tonights game.

TRENDS


MICHIGAN

• 52-28 against the spread in all lined games the last 3 seasons
• 8-2 against the spread versus good defensive teams this season allowing 64 points or less
• 13-4 against the spread versus good offensive teams averaging 77 points or more per game in the last 3 seasons
• 3-1 against the spread as a road underdog of 3.5-6 points in the last 3 seasons