Halftime Report

Michigan is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Xavier 41-30.

Michigan entered the game having won four straight and they're just one half away from another. Will they make it five, or will Xavier step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.

Who's Playing

Michigan Wolverines @ Xavier Musketeers

Current Records: Michigan 5-1, Xavier 6-0

How To Watch

What to Know

The Michigan Wolverines will face off against the Xavier Musketeers at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. The Wolverines are no doubt hoping to put an end to a nine-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.

Last Monday, Michigan earned a 75-63 victory over Va. Tech.

Roddy Gayle Jr. was the offensive standout of the match as he had 20 points. He continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Will Tschetter, who scored ten points.

Michigan was working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Va. Tech only posted five.

Meanwhile, Xavier came tearing into Monday's contest with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 20 points) and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 75-66 win over the Gamecocks.

Xavier's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Zach Freemantle, who almost dropped a double-double on 16 points and nine rebounds, and Dailyn Swain, who went 5 for 7 en route to 14 points plus six rebounds and five steals. Freemantle's performance made up for a slower game against Siena on Wednesday.

Michigan's victory bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Xavier, their win bumped their record up to 6-0.

Keep an eye on the arc in Wednesday's matchup: Michigan has made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having averaged 9.8 threes per game. However, it's not like Xavier struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.5. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

Going forward, Michigan is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. This contest will be their seventh straight as the favorites (so far over this stretch they are 4-2 against the spread).

Odds

Michigan is a slight 1.5-point favorite against Xavier, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 1.5-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is 152 points.

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Series History

Xavier won the only game these two teams have played in the last 9 years.

  • Nov 20, 2015 - Xavier 86 vs. Michigan 70