Michigan Basketball: Odds, prediction and how to watch vs Jackson State

Michigan basketball will be back on the floor tonight against Jackson State and here are the odds, a prediction, and how to watch. 

Nobody would blame you if you happened to forget just a little about Michigan basketball this week with Thanksgiving and the Ohio State game and all.

But after barely surviving Ohio (needed overtime) on Sunday, Michigan will be aiming for its fifth win of the season tonight against Jackson State.

The Tigers are ranked 307th in the Kenpom rankings and are led by Mo Williams, the former NBA player turned college basketball coach. Juwan Howard knows something about that, and once again, the Tigers are a team that can shoot.

They rank just 274th in 3-point percentage this season but Ken Evans and Trace Young each average two made 3-pointers per game. They also have a combined 33 points per game.

Young is a 6-foot-8 forward and is the kind of player Michigan has struggled to guard over the years. So is Evans — a bigger guard who can attack and shoot off the dribble.

Both attempt better than five free throws per game and containing those will be the key for Michigan basketball on the defensive end of the floor.

On offense, there are a couple of keys. One is to protect the ball because Jackson State wants to play at a fast pace and get out in transition. They also try to force turnovers and rank 48th with an average of 16 forced per game.

However, Jackson State has just three players taller than 6-foot-8 on the roster. One of them is 6-foot-9 center Romelle Mansel. The other hasn’t played a minute of game action this season.

It’s not surprising that Jackson State is 348th in 2-point field-goal percentage defense, but they also rank outside the top 300 in 3-point percentage too.

I’d expect them to try and do whatever they can to get the ball out of Hunter Dickinson’s hands. The Tigers have no one who can guard him and if he catches it around the basket, he’s going to score, especially if a double-team doesn’t come.

That should open up things for Michigan basketball’s shooters. The second half was better against Ohio but Kobe Bufkin and Jaelin Llewellyn have to start hitting shots from deep.

Michigan is shooting 31.8 percent as a team but Bufkin is at 10 percent from beyond the arc and Llewellyn is at 11.8. They both missed some free throws too.

Hopefully, this is a get-right game and allows Michigan basketball to build some confidence heading into a key stretch of games starting with Virginia on Tuesday.

Michigan basketball vs Jackson State odds

Michigan basketball is a 22.5-point favorite tonight against Jackson State according to Fan Duel. The Wolverines have been up-and-down against the spread. They won their first three games but dropped the last two. The over/under is 146.5.

(Odds are subject to change)

Michigan basketball vs Jackson State predictions

I’m going to say this team plays well for two halves and this looks more like the Pittsburgh game than the Ohio win. Dickinson is going to get a double-double but I don’t think he’ll be the leading scorer. He’ll do more as a passer in this one and the perimeter shooting will get going.

I’m going to go out on a limb and score Bufkin gets 15-20 and has his best game so far this season. Turnovers will be a bit of an issue though but the Wolverines still win 85-61.

Michigan basketball vs Ohio how to watch

Michigan is playing Ohio at 8:30 PM EST/5:30 PM PST on the Big Ten Network. You can also stream the game on Fubo TV.