Northwestern vs Michigan Odds, Lines & Predictions (Jan. 15)
- The Northwestern Wildcats visit the Michigan Wolverines in Big Ten action on Sunday, January 15th
- Northwestern are a perfect 3-for-3 on the road and have the second best record in the Big Ten at 12-4
- The Northwestern vs Michigan odds are below, plus our best bet and prediction for this game
An up-and-down season for the Michigan Wolverines (9-7, 8-8 ATS) continues on Sunday, January 15th when they host the Northwestern Wildcats (12-4, 9-7 ATS) in a Big Ten matchup. Tip-off for this game goes at noon ET from the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Wolverines are coming off two road losses and will be happy to be back on their home court where they are 6-2 this season. Michigan are four point favorites in the NCAA basketball odds as they seek their sixth-straight win against Northwestern.
We analyze the Northwestern vs Michigan odds below while also offering up our best bet and prediction for this matinee affair.
Northwestern vs Michigan Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Wildcats | +4 (-110) | +150 | O 135.5 (-110) |
| Michigan Wolverines | -4 (-110) | -175 | U 135.5 (-110) |
Odds as of January 14th at DraftKings Sportsbook. Claim the DraftKings Sportsbook promo code.
Both squads are coming off losses as they get set for battle on Sunday afternoon. Michigan fell apart down the stretch blowing a seven point lead with under three minutes left to Iowa before succumbing to the Hawkeyes in overtime.
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Meanwhile, the Wildcats just fell short 65-62 to a solid Rutgers side after Chase Audige missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer in an attempt to force an extra session.
Northwestern Wildcats Betting Outlook
Despite a tough loss in their most recent outing, Northwestern has won seven of their last nine, led by the backcourt duo of Audige and Boo Buie. Both guards average over 32 minutes per game and combine to produce over 30 points per contest for the Wildcats.
Better shooting would likely lead to more victories for this squad as they own one of the worst shooting percentages in the country. Making just 38.7% of their attempts from the floor ranks them 345th overall in Division I basketball.
https://twitter.com/dan_olinger/status/1613564067574124544
In their last three losses, the Wildcats have a combined shooting percentage of 34.1% which just won’t get it done. Their three-point shooting doesn’t really help out, as they’ve made just 31.9% of their shots from long distance.
Where Northwestern does shine is on the other side of the floor. According to KenPom, they have an adjusted defensive efficiency of 91.5 which is 13th overall in the entire nation. No college team does a better job defending inside the arc, as opponents make just 40.5% of their two-point attempts.
Interior defense will definitely be vital and put to the test when they matchup against Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson. Dickinson is one of the preseason favorites in the odds to win the Wooden Award as college basketball’s top player.
Michigan Wolverines Desperate for Win
The Wolverines have lost two straight in vastly different ways. Against Michigan State, they had a horrendous shooting night, making just 34.5% of their shots from the floor and scoring just 53 points, their lowest output of the season. Following that, they had their collapse in that 93-84 OT loss to Iowa.
Nobody has designs on this Michigan team being considered realistically in the odds to win March Madness, but it’s getting to the point where Michigan can’t afford to lose or else they might miss the big dance entirely.
Luckily for them, they have reason to be confident when they matchup up against a Northwestern side that they’ve had tremendous success against lately.
Northwestern vs Michigan Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Spread | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/26/2022 | MICH 72 – NW 70 | NW | Over |
| 01/03/2021 | MICH 85 – NW 66 | MICH | Over |
| 02/12/2020 | NW 54 – MICH 79 | MICH | Under |
| 01/13/2019 | MICH 80 – NW 60 | MICH | Over |
| 12/04/2018 | NW 60 – MICH 62 | NW | Under |
Another positive for the Wolverines is the spectacular performance Jett Howard put on against Iowa, particularly in the first half. He finished with a career-high 34 points, 21 of which came in the first 20 minutes of play.
Jett Howard FROM THE LOGO 😱 @umichbball
He is a perfect 5-5 from three in the first 10 minutes of THE FIRST HALF!
📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/OwLmIRUl3E
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 13, 2023
Northwestern vs Michigan Pick and Prediction
Undoubtedly, Northwestern has been playing much better basketball than Michigan in the last month. Some observers might even be surprised to see Northwestern as the underdogs in the college basketball odds given the recent run of play from both squads.
The fact is, Juwan Howard has a very talented, but mistake prone side. With seven defeats already this year and two conference losses, Michigan’s NCAA tournament chances will take a huge hit with a home loss to the Wildcats.
Expect Howard to have his boys fired up to redeem themselves after that heartbreaking defeat to Iowa. Our prediction is that Michigan avoid a 3rd straight loss while continuing their run of success against Northwestern. To be safe, pick the Wolverines straight up in what could still be a tight affair.
Pick: Michigan Wolverines Moneyline (-175)
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George has had a lifelong love affair with sports and studying sports statistics since he was a kid. He graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and has worked in the sports & media industry ever since in various roles from writer to producer.
