The 5-seed Michigan Wolverines are a slight favorite over No. 12 UC San Diego on FanDuel. Here are the opening betting odds for the game on Thursday:
If you want to bet on the Michigan Wolverines in the Round of 64, you’re going to have to lay a few points.
On FanDuel Sportsbook , the 5-seeded Wolverines open as 3.5-point favorites over No. 12 UC San Diego. The game will tip-off at approximately 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 20 on TBS.
Michigan finished the season with a 25-9 overall record and a 14-6 conference regular season record, improving on the overall record with wins over Purdue , Maryland and Wisconsin to win the program’s first Big Ten Tournament title since 2018.
The Wolverines are a matchup nightmare, with two 7-footers in Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf that have excellent chemistry on offense while protecting the rim on defense.
While Michigan went through a three-game skid to open the month of March, the Wolverines are peaking at the right time. Point guard Tre Donaldson is making plays late in games, and role players like Nimari Burnett, Rubin Jones, Roddy Gayle Jr. and Will Tschetter are all contributing in multiple ways. When you include a freshman shot creator in L.J. Cason, the Wolverines roll with an eight-man rotation that can be tough to prepare for and tough to guard when they move the ball quickly in transition.
Michigan has had a knack for winning close games, with a 14-4 record in contests decided by four points or less, and coaching plays a part in that. This is Dusty May’s first season leading Michigan, but this is far from his first rodeo when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. May led 8-seeded Florida Atlantic to an improbable Final Four run in 2023, a run that put May and the Owls on the map.
A potential new run starts in less than a week.
While the Wolverines have had a knack for winning close games this year, they don’t cover as often as you’d think because of that. Per Covers.com , excluding today’s Big Ten Tournament Championship, the Wolverines are 15-18 against the spread this season. And UC San Diego is no cupcake — the Tritons are ranked 36th on KenPom and have won their last 15 games, the longest winning streak in DI college basketball.
That said, UC San Diego doesn’t have anyone in its rotation taller than 6-foot-8, so Michigan has a massive height advantage. And when it comes to close games, the Wolverines have learned how to win them. A few made free throws could lead to a late cover.
Are you betting on Michigan in the Round 64? How far do you have the Wolverines advancing in your bracket? Let us know in the comments.