Wisconsin @ Michigan preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 9, 2019 ) Wisconsin 52, Michigan 61

No. 22 Michigan looks to continue its late charge towards a top-four finish in the Big Ten when it hosts Wisconsin on Thursday. The Wolverines have won five consecutive games, including a 71-63 road victory over Purdue on Sunday, to climb back into the Top 25 after a five-week absence, and they hope to reach 10 conference victories for the fifth straight season.

“Especially the past teams I’ve been on it’s around this time we start to get on our winning streak," Michigan forward Isaiah Livers told reporters. “I like the locker room vibes right now as everybody’s clicking and everybody’s connected.” Wisconsin is also peaking at an ideal time following a 79-71 win against Rutgers on Sunday. The Badgers have won four straight games to move on to the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, and they hope to pad their resume by knocking off a ranked opponent on the road for the second time this season. “The biggest thing is that we stuck together and we’ve come closer with everything that has happened to this team,” Wisconsin guard D’Mitrik Trice told reporters. “We just feel like we’re a team and we’re a family so that has really helped us when we get out on the court.”

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT WISCONSIN (17-10, 10-6 Big Ten): Micah Potter matched a career high with four 3-pointers en route to a team-leading 18 points and nine rebounds off the bench in the win against Rutgers. Brevin Pritzl added 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field while Nate Reuvers scored eight of his 17 points from the free throw line to help the Badgers post double-digit wins in conference play for the 17th time in the last 19 seasons. Brad Davison tallied 15 points against the Scarlet Knights to become the 43rd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (18-9, 9-7): Franz Wagner continued his recent stellar play as he scored a career-high 22 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals in the win over Purdue. Livers went 8-of-8 from the charity stripe in the final 90 seconds en route to 19 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots, while Jon Teske added 11 points, five boards and four assists as the Wolverines swept the season series. Zavier Simpson, who is averaging 12.3 points per game, was held to four points on 0-of-10 shooting. Eli Brooks is expected to play after suffering a broken nose in the second half.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Michigan has held nine straight opponents to 68 points or fewer.

2. Wisconsin hasn’t beaten the Wolverines in Ann Arbor since 2015.

3. Livers has made 31 straight free throws.

PREDICTION: Michigan 77, Wisconsin 67