Michigan basketball has lost four games in a row to in-state rival Michigan State, something the Wolverines are hoping to change on Friday night in East Lansing.
The third-ranked Wolverines will play their second top-10 game in a row. Michigan basketball defeated Nebraska on Tuesday night, 75-72. The Wolverines still have five games against teams currently, ranked, with two against MSU, plus games against Illinois, Purdue, and Duke.
Michigan is 19-1 and 9-1 in the Big Ten. The Spartans also have one loss in the Big Ten, along with Nebraska and Illinois.
Dusty May's team might have the better ranking, the better record, and be favored, but the Wolverines have dropped four games in a row to the Spartans by double digits.
Michigan's biggest concern ahead of Michigan State showdown
And there is one thing that should give Michigan basketball fans pause about this matchup: the turnovers. The Wolverines had 19 turnovers in the win over Nebraska. 11 of them came in the second half. That was 22.9 percent of its possessions.
If Michigan is going to get the best of the Spartans, it can't do that again. Over the past five games, the Wolverines' turnover rate has been 16.9.
Michigan State is only forcing 11 turnovers per game. That's outside the top 200. Yet, the Spartans are scoring 17.1 fast-break points per game, which puts them in the 98th percentile, according to CBBanalytics.com.
The Wolverines average 12.8 turnovers per game. It's been a weakness all season, one that needs to get cleaned up on Friday night. Turnovers and missed shots lead to fast-break opportunities —something Michigan needs to limit at all costs.