3 keys and a prediction for Michigan Basketball vs Michigan State

Improve the defense

The Wolverines played terrible defensively against Michigan State and part of that was their inability to defend in transition, allowing 25 points in that game to the Spartans.

Michigan basketball can’t allow that to happen again. Playing better on the offensive end will help but cleaning up some of those things in transition is needed. Michigan’s 2-point defense also really struggled in the first game and U-M has to do a better job of defending the paint.

It’s been an issue all season long but the Spartans won the 2-point battle 57 percent to 43 percent for Michigan. MSU also knocked down nine 3-pointers, while holding the Wolverines to 3-of-19 from beyond the arc.

Caleb Houstan was 1-for-3 and Sunday, Ilinois did a great job of limiting his attempts. He attempted three shots from 3-point range and hit two. So we’ll see if he can get more looks — that’s another key — but if the defense doesn’t improve, it won’t matter.

Michigan basketball vs Michigan State Prediction

This feels like a similar situation to last year when the Spartans needed to beat Michigan to make the NCAA Tournament at home.

Michigan won the first game at home with relative ease, only to see Michigan State take the rematch.

The Wolverines don’t have their head coach and with all of the games they have had to makeup, fatigue could easily be a factor, but you just have to think Dickinson and Jones will respond, along with Eli Brooks to lead U-M to a 68-64 victory in a must-win moment.