Michigan at Illinois

Michigan at Illinois (Illinois 9.5 favorite)

This game is huge for these two bubble teams, as they both come in needing to win to help improve their stock for the NCAA Tournament.  Michigan comes in on a hot streak, having won five of their last six games, while the Illini have lost six of their last nine, including Sunday's game against Purdue, a game they led at halftime by 15.

Unlike other teams fighting for a tournament bid, three of the Wolverines top four players are either freshmen or sophomores.  Guard Darius Morris leads the team in both points and assists with 15.4 and seven.  Tim Hardaway Jr., sun of legend Tim Hardaway, is having quite the debut season, putting up 13 ppg and pulling down four boards. Zack Novak is scoring 9.3 points and a game and leads the team with six boards a game, while Jordan Morgan is getting nine and four.

Illinois needs to straighten up the ship now, because their time is running out.  The main key is getting Demetri McCamey interested in playing basketball again.  He seems to disappear in games and that's not what a team is looking for from its senior.  Some good things for the Illini is that Brandon Paul, Jereme Richmond, Meyers Leonard and D.J. Richardson are now playing better and the future does look bright.  After scoring in double digits only five times in the teams' first 17 games, Paul has now exploded by scoring in double digits in five of the last eight games, including three 20+ point outings.  Prediction: Michigan pulls out a 78-75 road win