Indiana @ Michigan preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 25, 2019 ) Michigan 69, Indiana 46

Michigan looks to continue its late-season surge when it hosts Indiana on Saturday in Big Ten play. The Wolverines have won four of their last five contests, including a 79-54 rout of Northwestern on Wednesday, to climb within a game of reaching .500 in conference play, and they hope to continue their winning ways by taking down the Hoosiers for the seventh consecutive time in the rivalry.

“It’s always that Michigan tradition of Michigan being that second half of the season team,” Wolverines forward Isaiah Livers told reporters. “It’s definitely going to help us make our run for the Big Ten Tournament and punch our ticket to March Madness.” Indiana’s fading NCAA Tournament hopes received a big boost after knocking off No. 17 Iowa 89-77 on Thursday. The Hoosiers had dropped their previous four games to fall on the tournament bubble, but shot 52.4 percent from 3-point range to add a victory over a ranked team to their resume, and they hope to stay on the winning track by beating the Wolverines for the first time since Feb. 2, 2016. “I think we have a chance to be a good team and we’ve shown that,” Indiana coach Archie Miller told reporters. “We have to be more together and tougher to be able to go into Michigan on Sunday and have a chance.”

TIME: 1 p.m. ET. TV: CBS

ABOUT INDIANA (16-8, 6-7 Big Ten): Devonte Green knocked down seven 3-pointers en route to a team-high 27 points in the win against Iowa after he was limited to three in his previous outing against Purdue. Trayce Jackson-Davis, who is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week, added 17 points and 10 rebounds against the Hawkeyes to record his seventh double-double of the season. Rob Phinisee scored 12 points and dished out five assists while Race Thompson matched his career high with 10 points to go along with four steals as the Hoosiers finished with a season-best 11 3-pointers.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (15-9, 6-7): Eli Brooks drilled four 3-pointers to finish with a team-high 18 points and pulled down five rebounds as the Wolverines recovered from missing their first 11 shots from the field to blow out Northwestern. Livers added 17 points, including a pair of thunderous dunks that brought the pro-Michigan crowd in Evanston to their feet, while Austin Davis provided a spark off the bench with nine points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor. Jon Teske finished with a team-best eight rebounds and Zavier Simpson handed out five assists as the pair equaled the program record for most career wins with 104.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Michigan is 11-4 with Livers in the lineup.

2. Jackson-Davis leads Indiana in scoring (14), rebounding (eight) and blocked shots per game (1.9).

3. Austin Davis is 15-of-16 from the floor over his last five games.

PREDICTION: Michigan 79, Indiana 71