Michigan Basketball: 3 predictions for Wolverines against Michigan State

Zavier Simpson will get the best of Cassius Winston again

Ever since last season, there has been a debate raging between Michigan basketball fans and Michigan State fans — well there is a lot of debates — but one of them is who’s better? Zavier Simpson or Cassius Winston?

If you look just at numbers, it doesn’t look close. Winston averages over 18.9 points a game to go along with 7.4 assists and three boards. He also shoots 43 percent from 3-point range and makes 2.6 3-point field goals per contest. His one weakness may be turnovers at 2.8 per game, but still, that’s not terrible.

Simpson, on the other hand, impacts the game in a different way. He scores when he needs to and has developed the best hook shot in college hoops. Yet, he averages 8.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals, while turning it over twice per game.

However, Simpson’s hidden impact is on defense. The junior is the best on-ball defender in the Big Ten and maybe in the country, especially when it comes to point guards and his last three head-to-head matchups with Winston, Simpson has gotten the better of him.

In Winston’s last three outings vs Michigan, he is averaging barely over eight points a game. Last season, in the two games, Simpson averaged 15.5 points, four assists and six rebounds. That was on top of shutting down Winston.

When it comes to Simpson, he might be Michigan’s most important player and there is something about playing Winston that brings out the best in him and that’s why I expect the Michigan point guard to come out on top again.