Michigan Basketball: 5 reasons Wolverines will beat Texas Tech

Charles Matthews defense on Jarrett Culver

One of the big keys in this game is going to be how Jarrett Culver fares. The 6-foot-5 guard that won Big 12 Player of the Year honors comes in averaging 18.8 points and containing him will be essential if Michigan wants to win this game.

So far this season, Culver has scored 20 points or more 12 times and the Red Raiders are 9-3 in those games, meaning if the Wolverines can hold him in check, their chances of winning go up.

And the man with the ability to do that is Charles Matthews.

Matthews is essentially the Wolverines stopper on the wing and he should be matched with Culver most of the game. It will be a great challenge for Mattews but also an opportunity to show NBA scouts he can play with one of the best in college hoops.

That should have him plenty motivated. Not that Matthews needs any extra motivation for this game. He returned to Michigan basketball because he wanted to win a national championship and if he keeps playing the way he did in the first two games of the NCAA tournament, the Wolverines have as good a shot as anybody.