Oregon and No. 24 Michigan are each in strong form for NCAA Event bids, however there is not a lot else they’ve in frequent proper now getting into Wednesday evening’s Huge Ten contest in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Visiting Oregon (16-5, 5-6) is available in reeling, having misplaced three in a row and 4 of its final 5, with the one win in that stretch coming towards one of many league’s worst groups, Washington.
The Geese launched into their two-game highway journey to Michigan (they play at No. 9 Michigan State on Saturday) after dropping a 77-71 residence contest to Nebraska on Sunday.
Oregon has fallen from professional convention contender to a sub-.500 report within the league throughout this icy stretch.
The silver lining is that Oregon had eight Quad 1 wins and a No. 37 NET rating to start this week, so the Geese nonetheless are properly north of the NCAA tourney bubble.
Nonetheless, Oregon coach Dana Altman is aware of his group goes to have to show issues round shortly, particularly taking part in on the highway towards two of the highest three groups within the Huge Ten this week.
“We will should battle via it,” he mentioned. “We have 5 on the highway and 4 at residence left. All people’s type of bundled up (within the convention race), so it is simply whoever performs properly in February. We have historically performed properly in February, however this group goes to should determine it out.”
Michigan (16-5, 8-2) is available in feeling significantly better about itself, a winner of two straight following a 66-63 highway triumph at Rutgers on Saturday.
The Wolverines entered Tuesday a sport behind Michigan State for the highest spot within the convention standings and had been No. 17 within the NET rankings.
“We’re nonetheless a piece in progress,” Michigan coach Dusty Might mentioned. “It is February. We have to have the ability to win when it isn’t fairly and simply preserve shifting ahead. However we will not get uninterested in the method.”
The sport will characteristic three of the very best frontcourt gamers within the convention.
Michigan is led by its 7-foot twin towers of Vladislav Goldin (15.6 factors, 6.0 rebounds per sport) and Danny Wolf (12.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg), whereas Oregon is led in scoring and rebounding by 7-footer Nate Bittle (12.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg).
If there was a giant weak spot for Michigan this 12 months, it has been turnovers. The Wolverines lead the Huge Ten in turnovers at 14.8 per contest, and that might be a difficulty towards an Oregon group that averages 7.1 steals per sport and is giving up solely 71.0 factors per contest.
Regardless that the groups have been in reverse conferences earlier than this 12 months and are situated a good distance from one another, there’s a latest historical past.
Oregon earned a 71-70 extra time win over Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2019, whereas the Geese additionally defeated Michigan in extra time, 86-83, in extra time final season in Eugene, Ore.
–Discipline Stage Media
