Michigan Basketball: 3 predictions for Wolverines at Michigan State

Zavier Simpson brings it

Last season, there is no question that Zavier Simpson won the head-to-head battle between himself and Michigan State star Cassius Winston. That was key in Michigan basketball sweeping the Spartans, but two weeks ago in Ann Arbor, Winston flipped the script.

Not only did Winston go off for 27 points, but he also dished out eight assists. His ability to penetrate and draw help from UM defenders led to a number of open looks and for whatever reason, Simpson wasn’t able to lock him down as well as he had in the past.

Simpson was solid in his own right scoring 19 points in the game but his defense on Winston wasn’t nearly as good as it was during the 2017-18 season and that allowed Winston to take control of the game. Looking at Simpson’s past, he will be extremely motivated for the rematch and I’d expect to see him at his absolute best, especially on defense.

Michigan doesn’t need a huge offensive performance from Simpson to win, but he does need to be efficient and he needs to be a pit-bull defensively. If Simpson frustrates Winston and holds him in check, UM will win. If not, well, it could be a tough night.