Wolverines' reasons why not
On paper, with the Cats traveling to Ann Arbor Wednesday, the chances of a Big Ten victory look slim.
However, as Kenny Mayne used to say, "These games aren't played on paper, they're played inside your TV set."
Michigan has an 11-3 record, but is only 1-2 in the Big Ten. The lone conference win was a narrow 68-65 victory over Purdue. The Wolverines have lost to all three ranked opponents this year (Illinois, Indiana and UCLA).
Senior guard Daniel Horton is still outstanding at 16 points per game, but the key to the game will likely come down to stopping 6-11 center Courney Sims.
After last week's humbling defensive effort against Wisconsin, NU will need a huge game inside from Vince Scott and Bernard Coté.
Michigan has three guards averaging in double figures, which could bode well for NU. Maybe Michigan won't worry about exploiting the Cats inside.
Needless to say, it's not a gimme conference win for Michigan. But it might be a must-win for the NIT-hungry Cats.