Michigan Basketball: 3 predictions, odds for Wolverines against Purdue

Simpson sets the tone

One thing that Purdue does well is force teams to turn the basketball over. When it comes to Big Ten conference play, no team has forced more turnovers than Purdue and that’s why Simpson will play a pivotal role.

During the last two games, Simpson has 24 points and 16 assists. He also turned the ball over five times, including four times against Rutgers. At times, Simpson will seem to get a little careless but most of the time, lately, he has been spectacular.

In the first meeting, Simpson was 9-of-13 from the field, scoring 22 points and dishing out nine assists as the Wolverines escaped with an overtime win.

This time around, Simpson will play a similar role. He might not score 20 points, but he’s going to control the action and he will set up 3-point shooters all over the floor. Purdue is 10th in the Big Ten at 3-point percentage defense, so there should be some opportunities and if the Boilermakers can’t win the turnover battle, it will be a huge advantage for U-M.