Michigan @ Ohio St. preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 4, 2020 ) Ohio St. 61, Michigan 58

With three games remaining in the regular season, No. 22 Michigan and No. 23 Ohio State have no chance to win the Big Ten title, but the rivals do have plenty of incentive to finish strong and improve their seeding position for the postseason. The teams enter Sunday's game in Columbus tied in the Big Ten standings and with the Buckeyes in search of a season sweep.

Ohio State comes into the game riding the momentum of a good week that included wins at home over No. 8 Maryland on Sunday and on the road Thursday at Nebraska. The Buckeyes were short-handed against the Cornhuskers after forward Kyle Young rolled an ankle Sunday and he's doubtful to return against Michigan, coach Chris Holtmann said Saturday. Ohio State's two-game win streak has coincided with improved play from the guard trio of CJ Walker, Duane Washington Jr. and Luther Muhammad, who combined for 38 points and 14 rebounds against Nebraska. There are a lot of similarities between Ohio State and Michigan, which lost at home Wednesday night to Wisconsin, that include significant losing streaks during conference play and key players missing games with injuries.

TIME: 4 p.m. ET. TV: CBS

ABOUT MICHIGAN (18-10, 9-8 Big Ten): Ohio natives Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske have never won at Ohio State during their college careers and would like to change that Sunday against a team that Simpson finished with a triple-double against last year at Michigan but then committed a late flagrant foul in last month's game that cost the Wolverines in their loss to the Buckeyes. Simpson, a senior, turned in a big game in Thursday night's 81-74 loss to Wisconsin with 32 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Wolverines played that game without guard Eli Brooks, who had started each of Michigan's previous 27 contests before sustaining a broken nose Feb. 22 at Purdue.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (19-9, 9-8): Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State's leading scorer and rebounder, dominated Michigan in the first meeting Feb. 4 in Ann Arbor with 23 points and 12 rebounds while limiting Teske to three points. Defensively, the Buckeyes still rank among the nation's best teams, allowing 62.3 points per game, and they harassed the Wolverines to 33 percent shooting from the field in the first matchup. Freshman E.J. Liddell provided a valuable contribution off the bench for the thin Buckeyes with eight points, five rebounds and five blocked shots against Nebraska

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wesson on Thursday grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds and posted his 11th double-double of the season.

2. Isaiah Livers, Michigan's leading scorer at 13.4 points per game, has returned after missing nine games - including the first meeting against Ohio State - with injuries.

3. Michigan's 4-4 record on the road in Big Ten play ranks among the conference leaders.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 64, Michigan 61