Michigan Basketball vs Michigan State: How to watch, preview and predictions

Michigan basketball is in the middle of a critical stretch of games. Here is all you need to know about the showdown Saturday with Michigan State.

If Michigan basketball had been able to score one more bucket in the final two minutes against Purdue Wednesday, the Michigan State game Saturday would have a much different feel.

The Wolverines still come in with a 14-4 record overall, as well as a 3-2 mark in the Big Ten. But the game against the fourth-ranked Spartans could be a turning point. A win would keep Michigan basketball right in the thick of the Big Ten race. It would also give them a significant win to add to their NCAA Tournament resume.

A loss on the other hand, means UM will be 3-3 in Big Ten play, with tough games looming against Nebraska, Maryland, Rutgers (just took Spartans to OT), Northwestern and Purdue in the next five games.

That’s not an easy schedule. Winning three of those five will be tough and that would leave Michigan at 6-5 if they the Wolverines lost to Michigan State. It also doesn’t get a whole lot easier after that.

Minnesota comes to Ann Arbor after that stretch of games, followed by a trip to Chicago to battle Northwestern, before going to Madison to play Wisconsin. Then, Iowa and Ohio State at home, before trips to Penn State and Maryland to finish up.

Of those 13 games, Michigan probably needs at least seven to wrap up a tournament bid. That would put UM at 10-8 in the Big Ten; 21-10 overall. Yet, if Michigan could beat Michigan State, it would change the entire trajectory of the season.

The Wolverines would be fighting for a Big Ten title, instead of fighting to stay off the bubble. Anyways, we all know it’s a big game, so let’s get started with the game info, including how to watch.