There will be big-time implications for both Michigan and Wisconsin on Sunday, when the Wolverines travel to take on the No. 15 Badgers at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. It’s a game with league title implications for the Badgers (20-5, 11-4) who are jockeying for position with several other Big Ten squads for the regular season title and an advantageous seed in what figures to be a wild conference tournament.
But for the Wolverines (14-10, 8-6), this game and the final five that follow to close the regular season boil down to survival. After starting the season ranked No. 6 in the AP Top 25, Michigan is on the NCAA Tournament bubble and needs to finish strong. Winning at Wisconsin would be a marquee victory, but it won’t be easy.
The Badgers, led by star guard Johnny Davis and wily veteran Brad Davison, have one of the conference’s top back courts. Davis just poured in 30 points in a 74-69 win at Indiana on Tuesday. Michigan counters with a great front court led by Hunter Dickinson, who will test Wisconsin’s bigs. It’s the only scheduled game between the squads this season, and Wisconsin will be out for revenge after losing both meetings last season.
How to watch Michigan vs. Wisconsin live
Date: Sunday, Feb. 19 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Kohl Center — Madison, Wisconsin
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Michigan vs. Wisconsin prediction, picks
Michigan showed what it is capable of in an 82-58 win over Purdue last week and also picked up an impressive win at Iowa on Thursday. But the same team failed to reach 60 points at home last Saturday against Ohio State, and it’s hard to trust the best version of Michigan to make an appearance here in a tough spot. Wisconsin is also better rested, having been off since Tuesday. The Wolverines will be playing their second road game in three days.Prediction: Wisconsin 69, Michigan 62
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