An underrated Minnesota (13-14) team will roll into the Crisler Center on Tuesday night to take on a talented and angry Michigan Wolverines (25-2) squad. Minnesota has struggled on the road this year (2-7) while Michigan has been just short of flawless in Ann Arbor(15-1).
Minnesota vs. Michigan tips off in a Big Ten basketball matchup at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, live on The Big Ten Network.
Below, we’ll break down our Minnesota vs. Michigan prediction and PrizePicks picks for Tuesday’s game. Make your college basketball picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
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Minnesota vs. Michigan Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are perhaps a more talented team than their 13-14 record indicates. A large part of that record is due to the strength of the Big Ten this year, where Minnesota is just 6-10 overall in conference play. KenPom ranks the Golden Gophers 72nd in the country, while Bart Torvik ranks them 49th.
They are coming off back-to-back solid wins at Oregon and at home to Rutgers. Minnesota has been led all season by 6’7" UNC-transfer guard Cade Tyson, who is averaging 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Tyson went off for 27 and 10 in their last game and will need to be at his very best if Minnesota plans on hanging around on the road versus one of the best teams in college basketball.
We may see an angry Michigan tonight, coming off its only second loss of the season to Duke. That loss saw Michigan drop from No. 1 in the AP rankings to No. 3, while Duke rose to No. 1. KenPom and Bart Torvik aren’t buying it, though, as they both still have Michigan power-rated as the best team in the country.
Michigan is also considered the favorite on PrizePicks Team Picks to win this year's National Championship. “Yes” on the Wolverines to bring home the hardware is currently returning a 4.16x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Minnesota vs. Michigan Spread, Over/Under
The Wolverines enter Tuesday’s game as 22.5-point home favorites; there is no payout offered on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright, due to how sizable a favorite they are.
The Golden Gophers are massive road underdogs with a 22.22x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Michigan Wolverines -22.5 (1.96x payout)
- Over/Under: 145.5 (1.92x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Golden Gophers 16.66x | Wolverines N/A
Team Picks payouts are live as of publishing and are subject to change.
Minnesota vs. Michigan Prediction on Spread
Here are some stats and trends to know to help you make your Minnesota vs. Michigan prediction on the spread on Tuesday, February 24.
- Michigan is 8-5-0 (61.5%) against the spread (ATS) at home this year, the best covering percentage in the Big Ten.
- Minnesota is just 12-14-1 (46.2%) against the spread (ATS) this season, the sixth-worst record in the Big Ten.
- KenPom has a 27.25 difference in net rating between these two teams, with Michigan at +38.85 and Minnesota at +11.6.
- The Wolverines' defense is absolutely stifling. They allow the second-lowest effective field goal percentage (43.5%), the third-lowest 2-point percentage (43.2%), and the sixth-lowest 3-point percentage (29.2%) in the country.
- That latter number will be especially key tonight against a Minnesota team that is 30th in the country in 3-point rate, with 47.3% of their shots coming from behind the arc.
- It could be very tough sledding for Minnesota from all over the court vs. a shutdown Michigan defense.
Minnesota vs. Michigan Picks for PrizePicks Today: Tuesday, February 17
Here are two of the top Minnesota vs. Michigan picks to target for Tuesday, February 24, on PrizePicks. Player stat projections via PrizePicks are headlined by C Aday Mara and G Cade Tyson.
Minnesota G Cade Tyson vs. Michigan Projection: 22.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- This is just an incredibly tough matchup for Tyson on paper. Michigan, as mentioned above, has been stifling on defense all season.
- Michigan is 20th in the country in free-throw rate allowed, only giving up 27.2 per game, eight below the national average.
- The free-throw line is where Tyson has done a ton of damage this year, averaging 8.3 attempts per game on the road and shooting 89.3% from the line.
- Although blowouts aren’t as big a concern in college basketball, as coaches will play guys fairly deep into them, a 22.5-point spread is concerning for Tyson reaching the upper echelon of his minutes-per-game average (36.2).
Michigan C Aday Mara vs. Minnesota Projection: 7 Rebounds
- As massive favorites coupled with the elite Michigan defensive stats, there should be a ton of missed shots by the Golden Gophers tonight, leading to a lot of Mara rebounding opportunities.
- Mara is averaging exactly 7 rebounds per game this season; at home, that number jumps to 8, while on the road, it is just 5.3.
- Minnesota is near the bottom of the country in rebounding. On the season, the Golden Gophers rank 238th in offensive rebounding rate (28.8) and 103rd in defensive rebounding rate (29). Mara could feast against this small front court tonight.
- On top of that, Minnesota will be without starting C Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (foot), who is its second-leading rebounder.
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Make Minnesota vs. Michigan NCAAB Picks on PrizePicks Today
It could get ugly in Ann Arbor tonight with a motivated Michigan team ready to make a statement at home with its shutdown defense. Minnesota vs. Michigan picks for Big Ten basketball are just one of many ways hoops fans can get in on the daily college basketball action.
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