Michigan is going to explode in this game, mark my words. The Wolverines have yet to play a game since tuesday when conference rivals Michigan State mopped the floor with them. Everyone expected a close game, instead the Spartan blew them out 72-52. This was the Wolverines worst loss all season long and I know it is still fresh in their minds. I am looking for them to bounce back in a big way and this time around they will be the ones doing the dusting.
To say that Penn State has been less than spectacular in 2013 would be an understatement. The Nittany Lions are 0-12 since the beginning of january and have yet to defeat a conference opponent. But if you take a look, they are dead last in the Big Ten conference for good reason. The Lions are averaging only 60.8 points per game. They are rank 311th in scoring out of 347 teams in the nation. While it doesn’t get much better on defense, they are allowing opponents to score an average 67.3 points per game. It is no surprise with a -6.5 scoring differential they have yet to win a game on the road this season.
As for the Wolverines, they are 25th in nation averaging 76 points per game. They are one of the best from anywhere on the floor shooting 49.4% (7th) from inside the line, and 40.3% (8th) from beyond the ark. A lot of their fortune has been found through the individual success of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. They lead Michigan in minutes per game, are one/two in scoring per game for the Wolverines, and both in the top 5 for the Big Ten conference. Look for Michigan to completely dominate this matchup in every single aspect. I expect them to shut Penn State down on defense, and use that motivation to cut them up on offensively. Wolverines win big, monumentally big.
TRENDS
PENN STATE
- 0-5 straight up versus top 25 ranked teams this season
- 5-8 against the spread as an underdog this season
- 0-10 straight up versus good defensive teams allowing 64 PPG or less after 15+ games the last 3 seasons
- 15-6 against the spread after scoring 60 points or less the last 3 seasons
- 10-3 against the spread versus Penn State since 1997
- 20-8 straight up against Penn State since 1997
- 4-0 against the spread versus Penn State over the last 3 seasons