NCAA Men’s Basketball: Michigan Wolverines vs Minnesota Golden Gophers- Possible Lineups and Predictions

Published 01/06/2021, 2:30 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

NCAA Men’s Basketball will see two ranked competitors face off when the #16 Minnesota Golden Gophers take on the undefeated #10 Michigan Wolverines. The matchup will be crucial in establishing both team’s position in the ultra-competitive Big 10 Conference this season.

The Wolverines are yet to face defeat this season, sitting with a 10-0 record. They have gotten some big wins in this run as well. This includes beating Nebraska, Maryland, and Northwestern in their last game. This is their toughest challenge yet.

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The Golden Gophers are genuine giant killers. Their last six opponents have all been teams ranked at some point in this season. Minnesota have gotten both their losses this season in this six-game stretch, falling to the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Wisconsin Badgers.

However, can the Golden Gophers end the Wolverines’ unbeaten run?

NCAA Men’s Basketball: Can the Golden Gophers snake away with a massive win?

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The Golden Gophers are definitely going to have an uphill battle ahead of them. Outside facing the Iowa Hawkeyes, this may be their toughest test of the season so far. The two games that Minnesota lost this season were both on the road, as they struggled to score the ball consistently. Both these teams are very offensively adept, but the Wolverines are in a position to choke the Minnesota offense.

USA Today via Reuters

The Wolverines will start the game with Mike Smith, Eli Brooks, Franz Wagner, Isaiah Livers, and Hunter Dickinson. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers will take the court with Marcus Carr, Gabe Kalscheur, Bith Gach, Brandon Johnson, and Liam Robbins.

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For our prediction, we are going with the Wolverines extending their streak to 11-0. The Golden Gophers have a lot of talent, but the Wolverines are just on a roll. They have momentum and are playing on their home-court, where they are usually solid. Minnesota average under 65 points away from home. However, the Golden Gophers could easily spring an upset if they can make shots consistently.

This will be a close one.

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Written by:

Ishaan Bhattacharya

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is an NBA, NCAA Basketball, and Combat Sports writer at EssentiallySports. Currently, Ishaan is pursuing a Post Graduate Degree in Journalism from Xavier's Institute of Communication. Previously, Ishaan has written for The Indian Express, The Quint, Sportskeeda, and WrestleClub.
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