Oregon @ Michigan preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 23, 2017 ) Michigan 68, Oregon 69

Seventh-ranked Michigan and point guard Zavier Simpson host No. 13 Oregon on Saturday afternoon as the teams continue their challenging early season schedules. Simpson averages 8.6 assists, which was tied for second nationally entering Friday, and hasn't missed a game in his career, but the senior is hardly content with his accomplishments.

"I just want to keep learning," Simpson, who hasn't missed a game in his career, told the Detroit Free Press. "(Assistant coach) Howard Eisley has helped out a lot. Just want to keep learning from him. Every single day, I just want to take the piece of knowledge that I can and I just want to be able to grow as a person and basketball player.” The Wolverines won the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament with victories over No. 16 North Carolina and No. 8 Gonzaga in the championship game, and followed that with a loss to No. 1 Louisville before splitting their first two Big Ten games. The Ducks were in the opposite side of the Atlantis bracket, defeating No. 22 Seton Hall before losing to North Carolina and Gonzaga, and also own a victory over No. 17 Memphis this season. Oregon senior forward Shakur Juiston (8.8 points, team-high 6.5 rebounds per game) will not play because of a leg injury with Ducks sophomore forward Francis Okoro telling reporters: "(With Juiston) being out, everybody has to pick it up a little bit, grab more rebounds and play more physical now.”

TV: Noon ET, CBS

ABOUT OREGON (7-2): Senior guard Payton Pritchard is averaging 18.8 points, 6.1 assists and 5.2 rebounds, and is one of two players nationally averaging at least 18 points, six assists and four rebounds (Western Carolina's Mason Faulkner). Senior guard Anthony Mathis (10.8 points) and junior guard Chris Duarte (10.3) are the Ducks' other double-figure scorers with Mathis shooting 48.5 percent from the field - 51.1 from 3-point range - and Duarte averaging 5.4 boards. Sophomore guard Will Richardson (9.4 points) has averaged 16.5 points over his last two games, going 12-for-19 from the floor and 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (8-2): Junior forward Isaiah Livers averages a team-best 14.8 points and is shooting 52 percent from the field - 26-for-52 from 3-point range and 16-for-18 from the free throw line. Senior center Jon Teske (14.3 points, club-most nine rebounds) has recorded three double-doubles this season and is set to play his 89th straight game Saturday. Simpson (12 points per game) and junior guard Eli Brooks are the team's other double-figure scorers with Brooks making 10-of-20 from the floor over the last two contests.

TIP-INS

1. The Ducks are playing five ranked non-conference opponents for the first time in school history.

2. The Wolverines' Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (2014-18) holds the school record for games played at 144 - a mark Simpson can match Feb. 27 against Wisconsin.

3. Oregon prevailed 69-68 in the 2017 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in the last meeting.

PREDICTION: Michigan 78, Oregon 68