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3 keys and a prediction for Michigan Basketball vs Illinois

By Chris Peterson

PISCATAWAY, NJ - FEBRUARY 23: Head coach Juwan Howard of the Michigan Wolverines gestures as he talks to Kobe Bufkin #2 during the first half of a game at Jersey Mike's Arena on February 23, 2023 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Michigan defeated Rutgers 58-45. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - FEBRUARY 23: Head coach Juwan Howard of the Michigan Wolverines gestures as he talks to Kobe Bufkin #2 during the first half of a game at Jersey Mike's Arena on February 23, 2023 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Michigan defeated Rutgers 58-45. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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It’s another must-win game for Michigan basketball on Thursday night as the Wolverines head to Illinois. Here are three keys and a prediction. 

The Michigan basketball team is getting closer and closer to being in the NCAA tournament field and the Wolverines could take a huge step on Thursday night against Illinois.

Illinois is 36th in the NET rankings right now. Michigan basketball is 54th. So this would qualify as a quad-1 win. It would also be another win over a tournament team and the Wolverines have seven wins over teams projected in the field by Joe Lunardi of ESPN right now.

Michigan also has a really bad loss to Central Michigan, which explains why the Wolverines are tied for second in the Big Ten, but still on the bubble. If they win out, they will be the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament and in the big dance.

A split over the next two games likely leaves work to do in Chicago next week at the Big Ten tournament and with that in mind, here are three keys and a prediction for Michigan Basketball vs Illinois.

Kobe Bufkin needs to stay hot

Juwan Howard and the Wolverines are 0-5 against Brad Underwood and Illinois. This is a different Illinois team but one that still defends really well and shoots a lot of 3-pointers.

Defensively, Hunter Dickinson will be the focus and we’ll get to him in a minute. In previous years, Illinois was able to force Michigan into 1-on-1 situations and the Wolverines couldn’t make enough shots to win.

Kobe Bufkin can change that. He’s coming off a career game and his ascension toward the end of the season, along with that of Dug McDaniel has completely changed this team.

You need good guard play to win in the Big Ten and Michigan has been getting it. Bufkin and McDaniel have been stellar at creating and scoring in the mid-range and that will need to continue, especially against Illinois which only allows 17 3-point attempts per game.

The Fighting Illini also have the second-best 2-point defense in the Big Ten, meaning they force you to take tough 2s and tonight, Bufkin and company need to hit some.

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