Nebraska @ Michigan preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 28, 2020 ) Michigan 79, Nebraska 68

Michigan looks to bounce back from a pair of losses when it hosts Nebraska on Thursday in Big Ten action. The Wolverines dropped an 81-74 decision to 24th-ranked Wisconsin before they were routed 77-63 by No. 19 Ohio State on Sunday to drop out of the Top 25, and they hope to solidify their NCAA Tournament prospects by completing the season sweep of Nebraska - following a 79-68 victory on Jan. 28.

“We’ve taken a step back and we must and we will get better,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard told reporters. “I’m just happy that I have a group that is super competitive and will do whatever it takes to help the team win.” Nebraska remains mired in its longest losing streak in program history after suffering an 81-76 overtime defeat to Northwestern on Sunday. The Cornhuskers went 8-of-30 from the free-throw line en route to their 14th straight loss, and they hope to salvage some pride by knocking off the Wolverines in Ann Arbor for the first time in program history. “When you miss that many free throws you’re going to have trouble winning,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. “We needed that for morale and we needed that for the guys to feel good in the locker room.”

TIME: 6:30 p.m. ET. TV: Fox Sports 1

ABOUT NEBRASKA (7-22, 2-16 Big Ten): Haanif Cheatham scored 20 points and recorded three steals while Dachon Burke Jr. added 19 points, but the Cornhuskers committed a season-high 21 turnovers in the loss to Northwestern. Cam Mack contributed 13 points, seven assists and a pair of steals while Yvan Ouedraogo finished with 11 points and a career-high 19 rebounds for his third double-double of the season, but went 1-of-9 from the charity stripe. “It’s contagious,” Hoiberg told the media. “When you miss a few early it just seems to get in everybody’s head.”

ABOUT MICHIGAN (18-11, 9-9): Franz Wagner was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday after averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State. Wagner scored a team-high 18 points and corralled 10 rebounds against the Buckeyes to register the first double-double of his career while Zavier Simpson added 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Simpson, who will be honored along with Jon Teske on Senior Night, is set to break the program record on Thursday for the most games played currently held by Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman (144).

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Michigan has won 13 of the last 14 meetings with Nebraska.

2. The Cornhuskers entered Wednesday 348th nationally in free-throw percentage (58.6).

3. Simpson led the country in assists per game (7.9) through Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Michigan 78, Nebraska 65