The Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-3) travel to face off against the Michigan Wolverines (6-7) on Thursday, January 4th. This game will be played at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor and televised on PEAC. Minnesota is coming off a win in their previous game, while Michigan is looking to get back on track from a loss to the McNeese State. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Michigan Wolverines
The Minnesota Golden Gophers Are Coming Off A Win
After defeating Maine by a score of 80-62, Minnesota improved their record to 10-3. In their previous three road games, which took place last year, Minnesota went winless with an 0-3 record. As of now, Minnesota holds a 10-2-1 ATS record leading into their game against Michigan. Over their last five games, the team has gone a perfect 5-0 vs. the spread.
Looking at their over/under performance through 13 games, Minnesota has an over/under record of 7-6-0, with their games averaging 146.8 points per game on average. The Golden Gophers have an over/under record of 3-0 in their last three games, with their games averaging 150 points per game.
The Michigan Wolverines Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Michigan has played 14 games so far this season and they currently have a 6-7 record. In their previous ten home games, including last year, Michigan has a 4-6 record. Michigan has a sub-.500 ATS record, sitting at 4-8 at the moment. In their previous five games, they have gone 1-4 vs. the spread.
Looking at their over/under performance through 13 games, Michigan has an over/under record of 10-2-0, with their games averaging 162.3 points per game on average. The Wolverines’ last five games have culminated with an average of 168 points per game and an over/under record of 5-0.
Minnesota Offense Breakdown
Minnesota’s offense had a good outing, putting up 80 points against Maine. They achieved a 50.9% field goal percentage and went 11/19 from the free-throw line. The team’s top scorer is Dawson Garcia, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 17.6, while Mike Mitchell Jr. also maintains a PPG average of 11.3 leading up to the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson Garcia (F) | 17.6 | 7.2 | 2.1 |
| Mike Mitchell Jr. (G) | 11.3 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Joshua Ola-Joseph (F) | 10.6 | 2.8 | 1.0 |
Michigan Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, Michigan offense put up 76 points against McNeese State. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 39.3% and made 13 threes. For the season, the Michigan offense has been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the NCAA with a field goal percentage of 48%. So far, they have hit 55% of their looks from inside the arc, and are averaging 9.5 made three’s per contest.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dug McDaniel (G) | 19.0 | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Olivier Nkamhoua (F) | 17.2 | 7.5 | 2.7 |
| Terrance Williams II (F) | 12.3 | 4.4 | 1.4 |
Minnesota Team Defense
At present, the Golden Gophers’ defense is nationally ranked 66th, allowing 66.3 points per game. Minnesota’s three-point defense is currently 61st in the country at 5.8 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 41.8% of their shots vs. Minnesota.
Michigan Team Defense
Currently, the Wolverines’ defense holds the 260th rank in the nation, allowing 79.1 points per game. Michigan will look once again to perform well on defense, holding McNeese State to just 39% shooting in their most recent game.
Golden Gophers vs Wolverines Trends
- When looking at their past ten road matchups, Minnesota has an ATS record of 4-6 while averaging 64 per game. The team went 1-9 overall in these games.
- Michigan has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 80 points per game while allowing 76. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
- Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Golden Gophers have gone 2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Wolverines have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 5-5.
Golden Gophers vs Wolverines Prediction
We’re putting our money on the Wolverines to win, and have the projected score sitting at 76-68. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Wolverines at -6.5.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 151.5 and our model has the Golden Gophers and Wolverines finishing with a combined 144 points. Our pick is to take the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 4, 2024 Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Teams