Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Michigan Wolverines Prediction & Match Preview - January 6, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The No. 16 Minnesota Golden Gophers are traveling to Ann Arbor on Wednesday to take on the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines. Both teams won their last matchup, and had a significant bump in the college basketball rankings. The Wolverines hope to improve to 10-0 on the season with a win.
Match Details
Fixture: Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Michigan Wolverines - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Wednesday, January 6, 2021, 8:30 PM ET
Venue: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Minnesota Golden Gophers Preview
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are off to a 10-2 start, but with both losses coming to conference opponents, they currently rest in fifth place of the Big 10 standings. The Golden Gophers won their last game against the surging Ohio State Buckeyes by 17 points, and will hope to keep momentum against the Michigan Wolverines. Star guard Marcus Carr will need to lead a strong offensive outing for the Golden Gophers on Wednesday to prevent another drop in the standings.
Key Player - Marcus Carr
Marcus Carr will once again need to provide the spark for the Minnesota Golden Gophers against the Michigan Wolverines. Carr has been phenomenal thus far, averaging 22.1 points per game on 45% shooting. Now in his junior season at Minnesota, Carr is putting up career numbers in nearly every offensive category. Carr will need a big night offensively to be the difference-maker for the Golden Gophers, and just might be the right man for the job.
Minnesota Golden Gophers Predicted Lineup
F Brandon Johnson, C Liam Robbins, G Gabe Kalscheur, G Both Gach, G Marcus Carr
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Michigan Wolverines Preview
The Michigan Wolverines kept their perfect season alive with an 85-66 win over the No. 19 Northwestern Wildcats on Sunday. Now, the Wolverines must set their focus on the Minnesota Golden Gophers and play their best basketball on Wednesday. Sunday's win marked their first victory over a ranked opponent this season, but the Wolverines have plenty more work to do. With a win on Wednesday night, the Wolverines would improve to 10-0 on the season, and defend the top spot in the competitive Big 10 conference.
Key Player - Hunter Dickinson
Michigan Wolverines star forward Hunter Dickinson could prove to be the key factor in Wednesday's matchup with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Dickinson was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his great performances against Maryland and Northwestern last week. He is averaging a team-leading 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Standing 7 feet, 1 inch tall, Dickinson has a tremendous skillset for his size, and uses it very effectively to control the paint. Nonetheless, Dickinson will need a dazzling performance in order to outlast this powerful Minnesota offense.
Michigan Wolverines Predicted Lineup
G Isaiah Livers, F Hunter Dickinson, G Eli Brooks, F Franz Wagner, G Mike Smith
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Minnesota vs. Michigan Prediction
While the Minnesota Golden Gophers have been very impressive thus far, the Michigan Wolverines have outshined them with their nine game win streak to start the season. Expect a great game with lots of offense, but in the end, the Michigan Wolverines come out with a victory. The Wolverines are fighting to keep this streak alive, and have the talent to do just that on Wednesday night.
Where to watch Minnesota vs. Michigan
The game will be broadcast live on the B1G Network.